Summer of 96... Degrees

[FluffyGinja]

Summer... Heat, relaxation, and a world in its full bloom. Ibuku didn't have a favorite season, finding enjoyment in each of them in his own way, but summer did have a certain air to it that helped with clearing his mind in ways that the other seasons didn't offer. There was a lot to do, the days were long and bright, and many of the trees that dotted Konoha could allow for shade and respite from the Sun that beamed downwards. Academy students were getting more lessons outdoors than before as the likelihood of good weather increased and even missions felt more casual than other months. Now though, Ibuku was using the time he had to train.

It hasn't been very long since his last time outside of the village. Even longer since... He could feel his insides twist a little at the thoughts that ran through his mind... Sai, Daisuke... Taiga. His concentration waivered momentarily as he stood staring at the training dummy. Since Summer had started, he had decided to take up the chance to assist aspiring Genins by demonstrating both Katon and Raiton jutsu. However, it was late enough in the day that he was alone, able to use some of the equipment for himself and he was working on training a different chakra nature. Fuuton was new to him, he had tried before but it didn't click at the time.

The antlers that sprouted from his head was covered in a mix of morning glories and sunflowers, letting petals free at random intervals that disappeared before they touched the ground, one floating right in his vision to catch his attention and bring him back to reality. He had been at this particular jutsu for longer than he cared to admit and it wasn't even a difficult one. He had been just losing himself to his own thoughts so much that he was losing his focus on keeping the chakra towards his feet. He took a deep breath inwards and focused again, stepping a little into position. He took a few moments to remember the seals for this particular jutsu and after doing them in practice a few more times, he tensed up and went through them in a quick rush.

He could feel the wind around him gathering towards his feet, gathering in like a localized tornado. Ever since that mission with Suzuko, he had been really focusing on how to best utilize his strengths and this was a good way to start off. Even if he was weak in terms of his physical prowess, he could supplement with Ninjutsu to allow him to either move in or out at a speed he couldn't normally acquire. He was prepared for this to go poorly but he didn't realize how poorly as he went to quickly rush towards the dummy.

A sudden burst of wind exited from his feet, launching him forward and up, more up than he expected and so much faster than he had thought he could get, forcing himself to correct mid-air and land a simple hit against the dummy. It wasn't effective and it's kind of hurt him more than it would have hurt anyone but he definitely had a better idea for how the jutsu functioned now and was able to pick himself up from his kneeled position that he had landed on and dust himself off, going to move towards a bench nearby to sit and take a breather, grabbing some water he had brought with him to catch a drink. "I wonder... if there is a way to go forward instead of just up... It would be a lot easier if I could reposition on the fly in any direction... Flight? I've heard people can do that..." He was muttering to himself openly, it helped get his thoughts out of his head... Especially with how weirdly quiet it felt these days.

Jutsu TrainedShow

*Fuuton • Enhanced Launch
D-Ranked Ninjutsu
After doing the needed hand seals, the user gathers wind around their feet. Then, the user will use the wind to blast them from the ground, enabling them to leap into the air an extra 10 meters at [Control] speed. The Fuuton passive is not applied in this technique.

[Rain21199]

Mamoru’s mess of golden hair was obscured by the grand oak’s dense leaves as he carefully climbed to the top. The forest around him was serene, the sounds of distant birds and the rustling of leaves adding a peaceful ambiance to the scene. However, for Mamoru, this adventure was anything but peaceful. His eyes were fixed on his objective, a cluster of acorns that dangled high above.

His arms trembled with exhaustion, muscles burning from the exertion of the climb. Each movement was slow and cautious, the bark scraping against his hands and arms, adding fresh scratches to those already covering his skin. His clothes were already stained and tattered. It had been a long day for the boy.

A cloth sack hung on his back, swaying with each movement. The soft clinking of acorns inside it grew louder with each tree he climbed, but this tree, the tallest he had encountered so far, promised the greatest bounty. Its branches, though strong, were spaced too far apart for his small stature, demanding that he leap from one to the next.

Mamoru took a deep breath, steadying himself. The wind rustled through the leaves as he prepared for the next jump. His heart pounded in his chest, the sound echoing in his ears. He crouched slightly, waiting for the wind to subside, and then sprang forward.

For a moment, he was suspended in the air, the ground far below. Time seemed to slow as he reached out, fingers brushing against the next branch. His heart skipped a beat when he felt the branch's solid weight in his grasp. Relief washed over him, but only briefly. His arms, shaky from fatigue, struggled to pull him up. He gritted his teeth, summoning every ounce of strength he had left, and managed to hoist himself onto the branch.

Mamoru hugged the thick oak branch tightly, his arms and legs wrapped around it like a lifeline. He took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling rapidly, trying to steady his racing heart. For a brief moment, his eyes flicked downward, but the dizzying height made his stomach churn. He quickly squeezed his eyes shut, focusing on the task at hand instead of the drop below.

The boy began to inch forward, his small body moving cautiously along the branch. Each movement was slow, and the sounds of his heartbeat echoed in his ears. He carefully lifted his head, squinting through the leaves to see the cluster of acorns hanging directly above him.

With great effort, he got up onto one knee, then the other, feeling the branch sway slightly under his weight. His legs wobbled, and he had to concentrate hard to keep his balance. Carefully, he placed one foot on the branch and began to stand. The branch shook, and so did his legs, but he managed to stay upright.

Mamoru stretched his arm upwards, his fingertips barely brushing against the smooth surface of the acorns. His heart pounded in his chest as he strained to reach just a bit higher, his eyes locked on the brown tree nut. No matter how much he stretched, he couldn't quite grasp them. His fingertips only managed to graze the bottom of the acorn, just out of reach.

Frustration welled up inside him, but he steeled himself, taking a deep breath to calm his nerves. He knew he had to try again. Balancing precariously on his toes, he reached up once more, stretching as far as he could. Just then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw movement.

A boy, slightly older than him, appeared in the air just outside the canopy of leaves. Startled, Mamoru's concentration broke. His already shaky balance failed, and he felt himself tipping. Panic surged through him as he swung his arms wildly to stay upright, but it was too late.

With a gasp, Mamoru fell, his small frame plummeting towards the forest floor. The world blurred around him as branches whipped past, the wind rushing in his ears. His arms flailed, trying to grab onto something, anything to stop his fall, but there was nothing to hold onto. The ground rushed up to meet him, and he braced himself for impact, hoping against hope that he would survive the fall.

[FluffyGinja]

While Ibuku was musing to himself, he could hear something shifting. Rapidly and like it was... falling? His eyes scanned around him as he heard more and more branches giving off quick snaps before his vision caught what looked like a brief smattering of gold amongst one of the trees he had leaped near. He wasn't sure what it was but it was falling. Tensing his body up, he could tell he wasn't going to be fast enough to run over there. Mild panic set through him as he was channeling chakra through his body on instinct, gathering up an immense amount of the surrounding water in the air towards his hands, giving him large globules of water on each hand. Time felt like it was slowing to a halt as his legs hadn't even listened to his body, acting purely on reflex.

He didn't have time to properly mold, adjust, and execute this sudden idea that his body was reacting to. He hadn't even worked with this chakra nature before... but he had always naturally picked up elements, all thanks to the spirit inside of him. In this instance, he simply let himself be guided as a rush of water burst forth from his hands that he had purposefully aimed behind him, jettisoning him forward with enough speed and force that he covered an excessive distance in a matter of seconds. He was thankful for this though as just as he felt that rush of water escape his hands, he could see the golden color break through the bottom most branch.

A boy, hardly younger than him. He must have been climbing and had fallen... He hadn't noticed him at all but he wasn't able to ask many questions as he essentially caught the boy mid movement, forcing himself to come to a grinding halt. Which didn't go very well as he wrapped himself around the boy when he realized he needed to work on stopping as he had tumbled, rolling for a moment before coming to a skid across the dirt, huffing hard as he went to open his arms. "You okay?"

Ibuku was definitely going to feel this one. Scrapes, some blood across his back and arms, but he had hopefully kept the younger boy from impacting with enough force to hurt him seriously. Even though he had expressed his care, he was using part of his mind to remind himself that he needed to work on this... New element or not, he had to get better faster than everyone else. He had to be more. Always more.

Jutsu TrainedShow

*Suiton • Propel Leap
D-Rank Ninjutsu
After channeling chakra into their hands the user will fire two jets of water from their hand, essentially hurling and propelling themselves in the opposite direction of their jets as if thrown by [Control] Strength.

[Rain21199]

Images of his mother flashed through Mamoru’s mind, her gentle hands bandaging his scrapes, her comforting embrace, the way she walked him to his tutor’s house, and the quiet sobs she thought he couldn’t hear in the night. She was his world, and in this moment, she was all he could think about. But as reality came rushing back, the clear blue sky peeking through the thick canopy above was all he could see. His back hurtled toward the unforgiving earth below. What a tragic end, he thought. So young, with so much left undone.

But instead of the hard thud he was bracing for, Mamoru suddenly felt himself tumbling and rolling across the ground. His eyes squeezed shut, waiting for the pain to engulf him, but it was a mere sting, cuts and scrapes sending small aches through his body. Pain, yes, but pain meant he was still alive.

He opened his eyes and found himself staring into another’s. The dark-haired figure before him looked just as scratched up as he felt. The stranger, catching his breath, asked with surprising calm, “You okay?”

The casual tone almost seemed to mock the seriousness of the situation. Tears threatened to spill from Mamoru’s eyes, but he stubbornly held them back, his expression hardening with determination. “I’m fine,” he replied, his voice steady despite the whirlwind of emotions within him. “Thank you.”

[FluffyGinja]

Ibuku was looking at the boy with a blank expression as he seemed to monitor him for a second. He didn't seem to have any scraps and bruises that were worrisome, but it was weirdly... familiar. "Ya gotta be more careful than that..." Without realizing it, he had taken on a brotherly tone as he was brushing some of the dirt from himself. His body and overall demeanor had soften to something less tense. Less focused on his thoughts. Enough to get a really good look at this boy. He couldn't be more than eight years old... Maybe he was just starting to do Shinobi training, it would make sense why he was here if that was the case.

As he was watching the boy, the brave face and those tears welling up... It reminded him a lot of being the older brother at the orphanage. "You were pretty brave though... You must have been pretty high up there." He was even mustering a small smile after a long time as he knelt back down. "What's your name? Are you going to become a shinobi?" He asked in earnest, doing his best to appear interested. He was, but he knew his calm voice, normally flat expression, and general aloofness could make him appear not. It was a familiar mask, one to look the part of the caring older brother.

[Rain21199]

The pain faded quickly as Soseki became absorbed in the man's praise and questions. "I'm Mamoru Gerudo, and I want to be one someday! My mom says no because of my dad, but I'm still trying to convince her to let me join the academy."

But then Mamoru’s expression shifted, his eyes widening with sudden realization. He sat up straight, hands scrambling for the pack on his back. Tugging at the straps, he felt the lightness of the bag, and a wave of horror crashed over him.

The acorns had all fallen out.

“No, no, no, no!” he stammered, panic setting in. Turning around, he felt the sting of tears as he spotted the acorns scattered across the ground. "They... they won’t take the ones that touched the ground,” he whispered, voice trembling. “All that work… it’s all ruined.”

[FluffyGinja]

There was a moment of confusion for Ibuku... To him, they were just acorns but they clearly mattered a lot to this child so he was trying to understand why. 'They... they won’t take the ones that touched the ground' seemed to suggest that there was at least something that wanted them clean but he couldn't seem to fathom why right away. Stepping quietly, he moved to help gather up some of the acorns, not bothered by it at all. "What won't accept them?" He asked as he was now curious. Without realizing it, he was idly brushing off the small nuts that he had managed to gather up. "Actually... why don't we get these picked up... and I can help you. We can figure out how to get them accepted by whoever wants them." He stated as he was being purposefully a little slow to give Mamoru time to assist as well.

"Plus, you can tell me more about the shinobi you want to be while we walk." Ibuku felt... compelled to help. It was that sensation all over again. Memories of times where he had to be the bigger kid amongst the orphans he was with, helping them to deal with squabbles and even making sure that they would pick themselves up again if they failed.