[closed] Teaching the Basics

[Jin the Sugar Glider]

How many times had Kenji been down this road? Kotone, Kokoro, Osamu... and now Suzume. He had taught the ways of ninjutsu to more people than he ever expected to, but he could never have expected that he would teach his own flesh and blood. While in the past he had only agreed to teach someone because there was some benefit in it, some personal gain to be had, this time was a bit different. For not only was he teaching Suzume for her own protection, but he was also teaching her not just the basics of ninjutsu. No, he was going to make sure she knew everything there was to know.

And who better to learn from then one of the greatest minds that ever formed a hand seal?

Alone they stood on a cliff overlooking a wide open meadowy expanse. The lands of grass country were quite hospitable, but their particular location was rather desolate, which was of course exactly what Kenji was after. There was a waterfall as well that fell off the side of the cliff they now stood on, the sound of rushing water being somewhat loud, but not so loud that either of them would have to speak up to be heard over it. Atop this cliff, there was also a single tree, a lone conifer that grew some 15 meters into the air. It was odd, as conifers usually grew into the forest that constantly dotted this landscape, but it would serve Suzume's purposes just fine.

"This place seems as good as we're going to get. I do hope you've prepared Suzume; You may have seen the immense power I wield, but it took a very long time and a ton of failure to get where I am. You too will experience the same... Here." Kenji reached into his ninja pouch and removed a scroll; the very same scroll he had handed Kotone on the day he taught her the power of chakra. It contained the descriptions of each of the seven basic ninjutsu techniques that all academy students are expected to master before they graduate. It also contained detailed instructions on how to summon forth chakra from one's body, pictures detailing each of the 12 hand seals, and exercises a beginner could use to help strengthen their control over chakra.

"Start with that. Don't even look at the techniques themselves yet though. First, I want you to look at the hand seals, and the instructions on how to call chakra out. Read what is written first, then we can begin with your first attempt to call forth chakra."

[Willoria]

Suzume followed her father in silence, her eyes scanning the landscape as they walked and she took in the sights of it all. She had no idea where they were going, she only knew that some kind of knowledge lay at the end of this path, and it was a knowledge she desperately wanted. She followed him up to the top of the cliff, walking to its edge to look down at the waterfall below them. It really was rather beautiful out here, and a smile crossed her lips as she watched it all. She was only interrupted by a prod from the scroll in Kenji's hand and she turned to face him, taking it from him and walking slowly over to the tree.

She heard what he said, even as she sat on the ground under the tree with her back against it and opened the scroll. She held it up in front of her, reading what she could even as she wrinkled up her nose in slight confusion as she looked up at Kenji. "So... what's chakra?" she asked carefully, silently hoping he wouldn't get upset at the seemingly simple question. All her books had been inaccurate, Kotone had seen to that. They had been inaccurate to the point that even the terms were wrong, instead of chakra it was referred to as 'spirit magicks' in her texts, and it had never really explained what it was. If it had it would have been wrong anyway.

"I've never seen this word before, in anything I read." she added shyly as she looked up at the Thing that Should not Be.

[Jin the Sugar Glider]

...Perhaps Kenji had overestimated the girl's personal knowledge on the subject of Chakra a little. He had to fight the urge to get upset with her and remind himself that she was only a young girl who had never been exposed to chakra or ninjutsu before, with the exception of a mentor that would not teach her. "I... can see we'll have to start from the very beginning. Alright." With a small sigh Kenji thought of where to start... He had taught chakra to those who had never learned it, but they at least had some knowledge of what it was.

"Chakra is... Chakra is life." Kenji finally started, reaching down to pull a few blades of grass from the ground and hold them up in front of Suzume. "Everything living thing on this planet contains chakra, from the largest and most powerful shinobi to the smallest blade of grass. Without this energy, life as we know it could not exist." He let the blades of grass fall from his hand into a breeze, then looked back to Suzume as they fluttered away.

"Some creatures are born with more chakra then others inherently, but with the right knowledge and training, one can harness the power of their chakra and use it to produce various effects. You've seen the upper echelon of what is possible through chakra through me and my creation of a realm, teleportation, and other such feats that defy the laws of space and time. That kind of power takes years upon years of dedicated practice and study, so we'll focus on the lesser stuff for now. First, let's get you in touch with your chakra."

Kenji would then take a seat, cross legged, on the slightly damp grass and motion for Suzume to do the same. "I want you to close your eyes Suzume, and take a deep breath. Lose yourself within yourself, feel every little function of your body. Your breathing, your heartbeat... and eventually you'll feel something else. It will feel warm, calm, peaceful. You'll most likely feel it in your solar plexus at first, but as you focus on it you will find that it permeates your entire being. The feeling is present everywhere within your body. That feeling is chakra."

Being as experienced as he was, doing this came as naturally to Kenji as breathing did to normal people. But Suzume would no doubt become frustrated as she tried to tap into chakra. Although, he silently hoped she would have his talent in the art, that she would be able to grasp her chakra without much trouble...

[Willoria]

There was a moment where Suzume was biting her lip as she waited for Kenji's response. For a moment the silence deceived her into thinking her father was going to have a negative response to her lack of knowledge, and from what little she knew of him to call a bad response 'negative' was a serious understatement. Though his annoyance as fairly obvious still she was soon a bit relieved as Kenji went straight into teaching her more about this chakra, about what it was, and about its sources.

As she was instructed to do so, Suzume sat on the ground cross-legged and rested her hands on her knees with her eyes closed. She did what she could to try and focus, to cast her focus inward rather than outward but as a young girl she found focus difficult. She had meditated before, back at the dojo, but finding her focus for swordplay was so very different than trying to focus inward and try to find some great and secret power in her.

She found herself restless and fidgety as she tried to find this secret power. Time and again she opened her eyes, sighed, and closed them again, and yet she could find nothing. Deeper and deeper she went within herself while Kenji sat in silence across from her. An hour went by, and then two, and still she sought some kind of power. Though the deeper she went within she found something else, not a power but more a visage. It was a woman laughing, red hair and yellow eyes, the eyes so much like her own. In her hands she held a book, she hid it behind her back as she backed up closer to a fireplace.

With a harsh sigh of frustration, Suzume's eyes snapped open as she chewed on the inside of her lip and looked to her left at the floor. "I can't find it." she said in frustration, having no idea her own visage had changed into that of the red headed woman she had seen.

[Jin the Sugar Glider]

Kenji learned long ago that everyone learned at a different pace, and while he hoped that his own flesh and blood would be quick on the draw, it seemed apparent that it would be a slow and steady process for Suzume to learn what chakra was and how she could use it. This didn't bother him however, as he hadn't really taken a lot of time to meditate over the past few weeks. In place of sleep, Kenji liked to slow down the functions of his mind until they were pretty much at a standstill; the closest thing to 'sleep' the man ever got nowadays.

It was at this time that he was able to dream, as his conscious mind was basically shut down, making the line between conscious and unconscious blurred. As he fell deeper into his meditation, giving Suzume free reign to do as she needed to find the power within her, his mind wandered to an older time. A time when he wasn't what he is now, when he had gone to a festival as a means of attaining information on the villages of the world. When he had met Akane for the first time and planted the seeds of corruption that would later blossom into the life they had together. As twisted as it seemed, his time with Akane was the closest he had ever gotten to what one would consider a relationship. It would also be the last time he ever got that close.

eventually Suzume spoke, and his mind rushed back to conscious awareness. His eyes opened almost immediately, though it took a moment or two before he turned his head to Suzume... and gasped sharply at what he saw. He wasn't stupid, he knew full well that Akane did not sit in front of him... but how on earth had she performed a Henge without even trying? She couldn't have even used hand seals, she didn't yet know them... "How on earth did you do that Suzume? Did you think of her picture for reference?

[Willoria]

Suzume gave her father an odd look at his reaction and even more so at what he said. But as she looked down she realized her hands looked different and even her clothes. With a gasp of shock she stumbled back and tripped over a log, sitting up sharply as she suddenly returned to herself and stared wide-eyed at Kenji, shaking her head. "I-I-I didn't do that!" she said, clearly flustered by what she had just seen and even done.

She looked down at her hands and saw she looked like herself again, taking deep breaths to try and steady herself. "I just was doing what you told me... but I couldn't find anything. All I saw was this... this darkness. Everything was black. And it was like I was dreaming, I saw mother. I saw her... at least it looked like the same woman in the picture... in front of a fireplace and laughing and she was holding a book..." She shook her head and rubbed the bridge of her nose as she tried to understand and failed.

"I don't know what just happened."

[Jin the Sugar Glider]

Kenji was not only confused, he was shocked... she had just accurately described the thoughts going through his mind while he was in the deepest recesses of his trance. How had she been able to do that? It was then that he realized he hadn't bothered to sense her in any way... He hadn't thought to check her for any unique genetics, any Kekkei Genkai or bodily augmentations of any kind. Perhaps his genetics had mixed with the Enkouten gene in such a way to produce some sort of new gene? There was only one way to find out... but he would first continue to distract her from his analysis by further instructing her.

"Maybe you'll be better at grasping the concept of chakra in practice first, rather then trying to feel for it by itself. It's not unheard of. Let's start with a technique... We'll start off easy. The Chakra Kai." Kenji would hold his hands out in front of him before forming a single Ram seal, and to Suzume nothing would change. But then of course, Kenji would explain. "There are three kinds of techniques out there Suzume; Ninjutsu, which you've witnessed in the form of Kotone's tornadoes and my space time manipulation, use chakra to influence the world around us. Taijutsu, or body techniques, are exactly what you think they are. Yoshin falls under this umbrella, as does anything involving hand to hand combat, projectiles, and so on. But then comes Genjutsu..."

Performing a few hand seals, Kenji would snap his fingers, and a moment later Suzume would see a murder of crows poof into existence as if from nowhere, hovering overhead in a circle and cawing incessantly, but never once coming down to from their flight. "Those crows are not real. They are an illusion that I have implanted into your mind through your sense of hearing. The moment you heard that snap, my chakra was carried into your mind through your ears, and it is now influencing your mind with the illusion of that murder of crows. This is Genjutsu: Illusionary Techniques. The chakra kai is one of the most well known and safest methods of purging them from your mind. You see, Kai is simply purging the chakra from your brain for a brief moment to 'reset' your perceptions. When you do so, any genjutsu affects that you are aware of and capable of dealing with will be ended immediately."

Kenji would then perform a string of various hand seals, reaching out to Suzume with his chakra and locking on to Suzume's chakra signature as he did so. Not only would he be looking for the moment when the chakra was purged from her mind, but he would also be searching her chakra for any abnormalities that might denote something unique about her. "Now, you've seen me perform the hand seal for Kai, and i've explained what to do and what it's uses are as best I can. Try to purge the crows."

Jutsu UsedShow

*[Sensory Style • Beyond Senses]
C-Rank Ninjutsu
Prerequisites: Ninjutsu/Control/Instinct stats of 10
This sensor jutsu is used by shinobi to feel chakra sources within a radius of 25 yards. While this jutsu is fairly helpful in sensing chakra, it is unable to actually pinpoint specific chakras outside of 10 feet. This only gives the Shinobi an idea of how many entities with chakra are present in their general area.

*[Sensory Style • Evaluation]
C-rank Ninjutsu
Prerequisites: Beyond Senses
The sensor will activate their sensory jutsu, and then do an additional set of hand seals. By doing so, the user will be able to compare the “strength” of each source of chakra they are able to sense to each other. The “strength” of the individual is determined by the average of each person’s Stamina, Control and Strength stats. The user can determine who has more chakra strength than others, allowing them to pick out possible risks. This technique is not very reliable as a determining factor, however.

*[Sensory Style • [Target Lock]
C-rank Ninjutsu
Prerequisites: Beyond Senses
The sensor will activate their sensory jutsu, and focus on one source of chakra they can sense. By doing an additional hand seal, and holding said hand seal, the user will be able to continue to sense that source of chakra, even if they are moving around, so long as they are holding the hand seal. If they, or the chakra source, moves out of range, the user will lose track of them.

*[Sensory Style • Flare]
C-rank Ninjutsu
Prerequisites: Beyond Senses
The sensor will activate their sensory jutsu, and then do a second set of hand seals. For the next 5 posts, any time anyone within the range of their sensory activates a jutsu, the user will see their chakra “flare” momentarily. While they won’t know anything about the jutsu, it will give them a better idea of the battle field.

[Willoria]

Suzume listened in silence as Kenji explained things to her, though as the crows flew over her head the girl visibly flinched, staring up in them in shock. She heard what Kenji explained to her and she understood what it was saying, and yet it was so very hard to grasp. She watched the crows carefully, examining them in every way she could think of, and yet she couldn't tell it wasn't real. She began to reach out a hand as if to touch them, just to see how deep this went. Yet her hand passed through that particular crow briefly, before it disappeared altogether. "So that's how you tell..." she muttered as she looked around at the other crows still.

She looked to Kenji as if suddenly remembering she was supposed to be doing something, and brought her hands together in the seal he had shown her. She didn't close her eyes immediately, instead her eyes fixed on the tips of her fingers as she sought deep within her that source of chakra that he had told her about. Yet the deeper she went, the more she found she couldn't see it and with a heavy sigh she closed her eyes and almost felt as if she were throwing herself down a dark hole in her search for this source of power.

She remembered that darkness from before, and what had happened after she found it, what she had changed into for a brief moment. Though she hadn't meant to do it some part of her silently wondered if that was an indication of something. Was that darkness what Kenji had spoken of? But he had spoken of it being some kind of blue and calming light, yet the only thing calming that she had found within herself was that darkness. Hoping that finding it again would be some kind of start to this she sought that darkness again. Plunging deep within and turning, twisting about in her own mind she soon found herself drawn to that darkness.

Yet this time it wasn't some all surrounding or encompassing thing, no this darkness was like a flame of black at her core that brought a warm smile to her face as she reached out for it. The moment she touched it her chakra would flare in Kenji's sensory briefly. Yet instead of the standard blue he would see a flare of black. When Suzume opened her eyes she found the crows gone and she grinned, laughing as she looked to Kenji. "I did it!"

Training 437/400Show

*[Basic Jutsu • Chakra Kai]
E-Ranked Ninjutsu
A jutsu used with the purpose of activating seals and a range of devices and weapons, this technique begins with a single handseal. Once this has been performed, the user will focus a dollop of their chakra into what they are looking to activate in order to complete the task. Seals activated with this technique must be within 20 + (Control/2) meters of the user's position.

[Jin the Sugar Glider]

As Kenji felt through the girl's body with his chakra, he noticed nothing out of the ordinary at first... until she managed to purge the chakra from her brain, and he witnessed chakra the same color as his own within her. He had to fight the urge to let his jaw drop, but his eyes grew wide with surprise... There was no way it could be his own natural genetics, his chakra was light blue up until the day he attained Earth Grudge Fear. He could only assume that it was some random factor of genetics... but the question remained; what exactly was it?

The girl was ecstatic with her ability to purge the crows from her mind, and realizing the feel and color of her chakra made him realize he would have to approach this in a different way. "As you performed the Kai, I felt you chakra flare using my own chakra; a style of ninjutsu dubbed 'sensory' style. And I came to a stunning realization; your chakra is not normal. It does not have the same warmth and hue that most have. It is cold and black, just like mine. I believe that's why you had difficulty finding it earlier."

Noting that little fact for later, he would move on to the next technique. "I believe you witnessed something similar to this from me before that day when you came into the inn and first found me. I created a clone to stay by your side, remember? Well, what i'm about to teach you is no where near as strong, but it is in fact a clone jutsu. It is referred to as the basic clone, used mostly for distractions and misdirection as it is incapable of combat." Taking a deep breath, Kenji performed a small series of hand seals and a moment later, a clone of himself stood right next to him.

"I'll show you the seals once more, as i'm sure it's difficult to properly perform them for one without the muscle memory. While performing the scrolls, let your chakra flow out of your body and take shape next to you. Form it into your own image, give it life." Kenji went through the seals once again, slowly and meticulously to make sure she saw each one. She had the scroll for further reference if necessary... he would let the girl do as necessary.

[Willoria]

Suzume didn't miss the expression on Kenji's face, but she didn't think much on it as she was preoccupied with her own excitement at her success so far in learning the jutsu Kenji was putting in front of her. She nodded as he mentioned her chakra was different, just as his was, before she picked up the scroll he'd given her again that she might follow along in it as he explained the next jutsu to her. It seemed rather complicated and the girl wasn't sure how she was going to manage it. Even reading over the theories behind the technique only really confused her. As such she turned her eyes to Kenji as he performed the jutsu. She had no sensory of course and so watching him probably wouldn't help her any but somehow she thought that maybe watching him as he performed the jutsu would at least lend her a hand in some way.

Of course, it didn't do much for her. For a moment she paced, her mind working over the information she had read, as she tried to work the 'problem' at hand. After a few moments she stopped and closed her eyes again, working again to find that darkness within it. As she worked with it she was finding that this seemed to answer many questions she'd had while growing up, questions she had asked that seemed symbolic to others were literal for her. But she no longer questioned the darkness she found at her core, and she no longer questioned why it comforted her. It was natural, and it was a part of her.

She opened her eyes to look at the scroll again and work the seals, running her hands through them slowly as she tried to get them right. It took her three times before she was able to do it smoothly without stopping to correct how her fingers lay. It was hard to get used to, after all she had never used seals before. But once she had the motions and sequence down she chose to reach within to that chakra source once more, keeping in mind what she wanted of it. It was a living power, moldable in her own hands and yet it was her own, it would follow her commands. She viewed it as an extension of self, not some wild thing to be tamed.

And as she moved through the seals she felt a warmth rising up from within, a moment later opening her eyes and making eye contact with the clone that now stood beside her, both smiling.

Training 444/400Show

*[Basic Jutsu • Clone Technique]
E-Ranked Ninjutsu
After completing a set of handseals, the user forms a slight chakra 'body', thus creating a single, massless clone. The clone created from this technique is very basic and will dissipate when hit with anything. These clones do not possess vital signs or a unique chakra signature, meaning they don't disrupt the environment, and anything on their person is superficial. The clone has 1 in each stat. They are limited to basic movements.

[Jin the Sugar Glider]

Kenji silently observed as his daughter picked up on the concept of the clone technique in a matter of minutes, creating an exact replica of herself... she was a natural. Now that she knew what it was she was searching for, he had no doubt her capabilities and talent would carry her through the rest of this training without much issue. A part of him was beyond proud, a feeling he never thought he would experience in such a way... and another part of him was afraid of what this might mean further down the road. Even he wasn't this fast as a kid. There was no telling how powerful she would get in the years to come.

"Impressive, you learn quickly now that you've grasped the base concept of chakra. This next jutsu uses the same basic principle as the clone technique, but instead of molding chakra into a separate entity, you mold it around yourself to change your appearance. It is called Henge; the transformation technique." Kenji demonstrated by performing a few hand seals, then covering his body in chakra for a moment before he took on the appearance of Kotone, Suzume's sensei. If Suzume didn't know any better, she'd feel as though she was staring right at her master.

"This technique has many clear uses, the most obvious being infiltration and deception. Many a ninja have walked into a heavily guarded compound, killed a target, and walked out without a single question being asked, all because the looked like the hired help or security. Now maybe you understand my paranoia a little better." As he spoke he demonstrated the seals to her, again slowly and drawn out to show her each seal in perfect form. If they were done at full speed, they'd be a blur of movement she'd likely be unable to follow. He would then sit back with a hand on his chin, watching and waiting for the girl's first attempt. If it was anything like the clone, the first would no doubt be the last.

[Willoria]

Suzume was absolutely giddy over the success she'd had so far learning jutsu, learning how to manipulate her own chakra. Seeing the look of what she assumed was pride on Kenji's face simply made her happier. It was a happiness the girl wasn't used to either. All her life Kotone-Sensei had been like a parent to her, but already the girl was learning that having one of her actual parents around was so very different, and all his crimes aside she was finding she enjoyed being around her father. After all, no matter what he did previously or even now, he was still her father. That wasn't going to change.

She watched him with that grin still plastered on her face as he transformed into Kotone, a move that at first made her flinch. For a brief moment the smile dropped from her face, and concern filled her mind as she thought about what could have happened to the woman. She even wanted to ask Kenji, but instead she bent and picked up the scroll again, reading over the technique to stifle the childish urge. This was not the time for such things, this was the time for training after all.

Once she read through the technique and the list of seals again, she took to doing them herself. Her hands moved through them clumsily at first, despite some of the seals being the same as the last technique or even just similar. It was taking her time to get used to the seals, to force her fingers into the right positions and the right shapes, but she was okay with that. Closing her eyes she kept her hands going through the sequence of seals to get the order down right, even as in her own mind she reached out and sought that darkness within that held all of her potential, all of her power, and even just a little of her own heritage.

She felt its cold comfort as it wrapped around her, forming a chakra shell of sorts as it seeped out of her like some dark cloud that enveloped her. But after a few moments of work that shell took shape, only Suzume did not take on the shape of Kotone. Instead she took on the shape of Kenji himself, grinning back at the man as the technique completed and she could see the effects. She looked down at her own hands briefly and chuckled before looking at her father once more. Again, proud of what she had managed.

Training 434/400Show

*[Basic Jutsu • Transformation Technique]
E-Ranked Ninjutsu
After completing the needed handseals, the user of this technique will be able to alter their physical appearance to match that of another person. By consistently emitting chakra throughout their body, the user is able to keep their appearance adjusted at the cost of their stamina draining over time. As this technique is quite strenuous to uphold, experienced shinobi may see more clearly through this delusive disguise. This technique lasts for a number of posts equal to that of the user's stamina.

[Jin the Sugar Glider]

After three successful techniques in a row within hardly a half hour, Kenji was beginning to realize that there was little that could truly hold her back now. She repeated his actions flawlessly, assuming his appearance and beaming with pride as she smiled at him. "Most impressive, you've grasped the simplest of the basic techniques effortlessly, but these next four are a bit trickier... If you can get these on your first try, you will have surpassed my own speed of learning." Kenji spoke with a smirk under his mask as he mentioned her beating his speed of learning... He had never seen anyone learn these techniques on their very first try.

"We will start with the Act of Tree Walking. You might remember me using it during our very first meeting in the compound to walk along the wall." Kenji proceeded to walk over to the tree on the cliff and channel chakra into his feet for a moment before placing the sole of his right foot against the tree. He then lifted his left foot up and allowed his body to run horizontally as he stepped up the side of the tree. "It can be used to stick to any surface that is not imbued with foreign chakra. Obviously the uses are practically limitless, but this technique requires more precise control over your chakra. If you use too much you'll be unable to move your feet due to being stuck. Too little, you will fall off of the tree." He then proceeded to walk down the tree again, looking at Suzume as he did so.

"And unlike the other jutsu, this does not require hand seals. This technique is all about controlling and molding your chakra without the use of seals. Envision the chakra in your feet as if it were glue, sticking you to the side of the tree. Little appendages grasping at the bark to hoist you up. Whatever helps you to envision the nature of the technique." Kenji would then step aside and observe his daughter attempt her first D rank ninjutsu technique.

[Willoria]

Suzume did indeed remember the jutsu her father spoke of, how enthralled she'd been watching him walk up a wall and across the ceiling using it. It had been completely unreal then, a miracle, beheld by a child who dreamed of such miracles. But since then already Suzume had learned a few things, and now this would be one of those things. The strangeness of it would wither away and soon it would seem normal to her, just as it was to him. It made her smile outwardly, but inwardly it almost made her sad. With each jutsu was the answer to a question she didn't know she'd hand, and with each answer she lost a little bit of the ignorant child within and grew to become a woman with a certain amount of power.

But she certainly wasn't about to feel like a woman right now.

Closing her eyes she summoned that darkness within her and brought it out, forcing it down towards her feet with a smile on her feet as it almost seemed to tickle her. Carefully, she placed her first foot upon the tree, her hands shaking as she took the second step. It was like falling for a moment, but her chakra held her perpendicular to the ground and she walked along the trunk of the tree. Giggling like a gleeful child she made her way up the trunk, with no idea that it wasn't going to right the first time, not on this one.

After a moment there was an audible crunch and the girl gasped in shock as she felt a foot sink in and it was suddenly as if gravity kicked in. Suzume was hung upside down halfway up the trunk of the tree, one foot stuck to the tree by chakra and she didn't seem able to free herself.

314/680

[Jin the Sugar Glider]

Kenji was more then a little impressed with Suzume's ability to walk up the tree on her first try... but a moment later, a light yelp followed by her falling backwards off the tree, her foot still stuck to the tree via chakra caused him to shake his head slightly and chuckle. "Not bad.... Truth be told you did better then I expected. I was expecting you to try and fall right off the tree, the fact that you got a few steps up is still rather impressive." As Kenji spoke, he moved over to Suzume and grabbed hold of her stuck leg, pulling until she came free and he was holding her by her ankle upside down.

He would then drop her, expecting her to be agile enough to catch herself. Once she was back on her feet, a devilish idea came to him... "Perhaps a more... realistic circumstance will help you tap in to things a little easier." Kenji smirked as he placed his hand on her shoulder, looking at her a moment... before shoving her off the side of the cliff. "Remember, focus!" He shouted at her as she fell down the side of the cliff.

...He could always recycle time if she failed.

[Willoria]

*splat*

[Jin the Sugar Glider]

That... did not go as planned. At all. Channeling chakra throughout his body, Kenji had to control his worry for the moment so that he could focus on the event itself, his daughter falling from the cliff and hitting the earth with a heavy "thud" that no doubt ruptured multiple organs and broke multiple bones. He was sure that if she didn't die immediately, she would have died within seconds after impact... and so, releasing the chakra he had just built through his body, Kenji allowed the chakra to flow out from his body in all directions for miles in all directions.

A moment later, Suzume would be standing next to him once again... well, 'standing'. Her foot was still stuck in the tree, and with another yank he removed her foot from the tree and let her drop to her hands once again so that she could put herself back on to her feet. "That didn't go according to plan... perhaps that's not the best way to go about things. Let's try you walking down the cliff there, see if you can manage to maintain yourself in a slightly stressful environment... perhaps that will push you to focus." He wouldn't push her again by any means, that clearly didn't work, but the situation itself might still prove helpful to her.

Jutsu UsedShow

Erase Time: Death
S-rank Jikukan Ninjutsu
Prerequisites: 46 Control, 40 Stamina
When the user has recently experienced death in their life, may it be that of a comrade or enemy, the user can channel chakra through their body, then focus on the event. So long as the death occurred in the past 2 posts, the user can Erase time, removing the past 2 posts from ever happening. Anything that occurred within those 2 posts will have never happened, but time will continue as it was. The person who died will come back to life, and be in whatever state they were 2 posts ago. At the very least, this extends the time the person has to receive care, at best, it can allow the person to avoid ever dying in the first place.

[Willoria]

As far as Suzume was concerned she had no idea what had happened. One moment she was stuck in the tree and he was calling her work impressive, but as he actually freed her from the tree he said things weren't according to plan. She gave him a puzzled look as she tried to piece together just what he was talking about but her confusion was buried as he told her what she was going to do. She stared at the cliff with wide, yellow eyes and swallowed hard. "Down... the cliff..." She looked up at Kenji. "That seems... dangerous." she mentioned, swallowing hard again as she walked over to the edge and dared a glance over it.

It felt like something dropped into the bottom of her stomach and she had to cover her mouth to keep from throwing up at the fear of what could go wrong. Taking a deep breath she did as he had told her and formed the seals, and the first step was the hardest. She had to force herself to step over the edge of the cliff and rest her foot against the wall, and then bring her other down with it. She was shaking so bad she was surprised she could stand, but even more surprised as she realized she was successfully sticking to the side of the cliff. Panting in excitement for a moment she looked back up at Kenji and grinned before looking in front of her again.... and down.

The world swam before her and she took a deep breath to steady herself, forcing herself to focus on her footsteps instead of the height as she took one step after the next. Each step was less shaky than the last, despite the height of the cliff that loomed in front of her, and after a few steps she managed to turn around and start back up the cliff, grinning up at her father as she moved along. She could still feel gravity pulling at her, creating a strange sensation, and her hair hung loosely away from her body as gravity and wind did its work. But as she remained focused on her connection to that wall, she found it easier to do, moment by moment, and before long she was standing beside Kenji once more, grinning ear to ear.

Training 715/680Show

*[Basic Jutsu • Act of Tree Climbing]
D-Ranked Ninjutsu
By focusing chakra into his/her feet, the user is able to walk up trees and other vertical surfaces in a similar fashion to walking along the ground. This chakra amount must be precise, and although all shinobi learn this technique, the user's control stat will determine how well this jutsu can be executed. Users with low control 2 or lower will often fall during the use of this technique, while users with average control 3 or higher will be able to use this technique functionally. It lasts for a number of posts equal to the user's stamina stat times 3.

[Jin the Sugar Glider]

Kenji was ready and waiting to have to pull her off of the wall again, or worse... bring her back to life again by rewinding time. Luckily, it would seem he didn't have to do either of those things, as Suzume had gotten the hang of the tree walking on the second attempt. Lucky her. She beamed with pride as she came back up the wall, smiling at him as she awaited the next jutsu. "Very nice, you've almost grasped the concept of the basics. For the record, I expect you to continue practicing these jutsu after today until you can perform them as if they were as natural as breathing. Being able to perform a jutsu in a controlled environment is no where near the same as performing it in a combat scenario. I'm sure you already know that though, given your training in Yoshin."

"Open your scroll again and take a look at the technique just below the tree walking technique. It is very similar in it's use, but instead of trees and other solid objects, the jutsu is meant for walking on the surface of liquids. Hence it's name, the Act of Water Walking technique. While the application is similar, the method of use is much different. You see, sticking to a solid object like a tree requires that you build your chakra to the right level, not too much or too little. However, when walking on water, the water fluctuates with even the slightest of breezes or currents, and so you must be able to add or subtract chakra from your feet at a moment's notice to avoid going under. Go ahead and give it a try on that river there when you're ready."

Kenji pointed to a point in the river's path where it wasn't rapids, but it was still quite active as it rushed along. However, it was the calmest point in the river as far as either of them could see, so it was the best place to practice. If she failed, Kenji would have to walk onto the river's rapids and save her himself...

[Willoria]

As Kenji explained the next technique, Suzume obeyed and picked up the scroll from the ground. She went over the summary of it as she walked towards the river though she never actually worked at the water, not immediately anyway. After she finished reading it over she finally looked up and raised an eyebrow as she looked at the fairly rough looking water. Even at its calmest point, it didn't look calm at all. Considering the scroll said this was best practiced on still water at first the girl couldn't help but to worry. She turned and looked back at Kenji a moment, as if waiting for confirmation, worry etched into her features. But when Kenji would inevitably tell her or motion her to get on with it, the girl turned and looked at the waters again, taking a deep breath.

Even she could see failure would be bad, perhaps even fatal, and so she did something that could be seen as a bit odd. She sat down at the water's edge and then reached in a hand, closing her eyes as she did so. She took a deep breath as if calming herself, meditating as she felt the way the water rushed around her hand. After all, the movement of water on the surface is only a fraction of what was actually happening, and so Suzume was seeking knowledge on what was going on beneath the surface before she attempted this technique at all. She was counting on it giving her some kind of insight that might help her know how to balance the chakra.

And so she literally meditated on it. Eyes closed she kept her hand in the water, feeling it swirl and fight around her. At one point she event felt a fish tickle her fingertips as it lipped at her to see if she was food. As it quickly discovered she was not, it swam off. Yet Suzume did not react, she remained focused.

After several moments of silence the girl stood and shook her hand, sending water to the ground from it as she dried it off in the air before sighing and moving to put her hands into the appropriate seals. She focused the chakra at her feet, first working to apply a coating before she took her first step.

The first was a little unstable, but she recovered on the second, feeling her chakra reach into the water and she tried to force it to react to the constant changes, working with the current to counterbalance her weight that she might continue to walk across it. She made it a couple more steps and a smile began to pull at her lips, but it was too soon. On the next step she faltered and she went into the water to her knee on her left foot. The girl grimaced, frowning at her predicament though she managed to keep one foot above the water. For a moment she stood there, fighting to stay as she was against the current under the surface but as only one foot was in the water she managed so far to keep upright and not fall on. So far, she didn't need to be saved.

With a yell of frustration she managed to shift her chakra to put extra weight on her right foot and in doing so allowed herself to push with that foot and yank her left out of the water. When her left came down on the surface of the water again it did not slip through, but for a few moments Suzume faltered and wobbled, trying to restore balance to the chakra in her feet. Her arms were outstretched, practically waving as she tried to balance on the surface of the water but after a moment she finally felt it all even out, and found her focus again with the chakra under her feet.

She straightened up and turned around to look at her father with a grin spreading fast across her features. Carefully, she walked her way back to the bank, laughing when her foot touched dry land. "I think I hate that one." she admitted.

Training 711/680Show

*[Basic Jutsu • Act of Water Surface Walking]
D-Ranked Ninjutsu
A variation of the Act of Tree Climbing technique, this jutsu requires the user to focus a precise and balanced amount of charka into the soles of his/her feet. By doing so, the user is able to walk on the surface of water as though it were a solid surface. Users with low control 2 or lower are much more likely to fall through the surface of the water, while users with average control 3 or higher will be able to use this technique functionally. It lasts for a number of posts equal to the user's stamina stat times 3.

[Jin the Sugar Glider]

Kenji was mere seconds from taking off into the water to bring Suzume back to shore as he saw her leg go under, but seeing that the other one did not caused him pause. He would let her go until there was no hope of recovery... and much to his surprise, there was no need for him to help; she actually made the recovery, albeit barely. "Well done... I'm impressed. I expected to have to save you there, the fact that you made a recovery in such a stressful situation shows how well you're learning. But I digress... two more techniques to learn. I think you'll enjoy this one."

He smiled slyly as he walked over to Suzume and removed an explosive tag from his pouch, then reached out to grab hold of her hand. He placed her hand on the tag and gave a simple command: "Now, allow some of your chakra to flow into this piece of paper." Upon following his instruction, the tag would then be keyed to Suzume's chakra signature, and could therefore be activated via the technique she would now learn. "The next technique is a universal jutsu meant to be used to activate things. Most commonly, it's used to activate these; explosive tags. Observe."

Kenji would then remove a kunai, it's tag attached by a wire, and tossed it into the water. Once it hit the bottom of the river, he performed a single hand seal, and a moment later water was thrown everywhere as a loud thundrous 'BOOOM' echoed out through the land. The water would no doubt drench Suzume and Kenji both, but it got the point across. "This tag holds the same destructive power within it. Now then..." He then walked over to the tree from before, the one she used to learn the Act of Tree Walking, and stuck the tag to the tree. "Before you attempt to blow the tree to bits, a defensive measure... It would be a shame if the blast sent a sharpened fragment of wood into your skull."

Channeling chakra throughout his body once again, his body glowing with a vignette of black power, the two were suddenly encased in a transparent, black tinted cube; a protective barrier of simple use and design. "Now that we're both safe from the possibility of a runaway splinter, make your attempt to activate the tag. Feel the chakra you put within it, then use a little bit more of your chakra to set it off. Think of it like lighting a fire; all you need is a spark to set off the inferno." He would then leave Suzume to her devices, allowing her to study the scroll for whatever he may have left out.

JutsuShow

[The Bunker]
A Rank Defensive Ninjutsu
After channeling a large amount of chakra Kenji will create a cube shaped barrier within 30 meters of his person at a speed of 20. This barrier has a maximum size of 20x20x20 meters, but can be any size smaller than this as well. Regardless of size, this barrier can withstand blows of up to 30 strength before breaking, and lasts for 15 posts before dispersing.

[Willoria]

Suzume was more than a little impressed as she watched the water explode upwards. Though she had seen Kenji demonstrate fuuinjutsu before, she had always thought the paper getting wet would diminish the jutsu, but apparently it didn't. In this she was learning that jutsu was far more resilient than she had been initially thinking. If the normal physical boundaries didn't apply to it, she couldn't help thinking that the possibilities were endless. A thought Kenji had put into her head before and she had dismissed, but now she was seeing it proven before her very eyes, over and over again.

She looked at the tag he had given her, taking a moment to channel her chakra into it again just to be sure. She was still new to all this after all, and as she held it between two fingers and let that energy within seep from her fingertips into the tag, she couldn't help a smile. Sure, she was new to this, she felt unsure about her own capabilities in it, but she was learning quickly to quit underestimating herself. She seemed to have a knack for this kind of thing, and seemed to learn quickly. When she had learned at the dojo she had been accused of being more book smart than physically capable, the other way around of course was the preferred for someone learning taijutsu of course, and so she had been mocked. But now as she smiled she couldn't help thinking that no one could mock her anymore.

Her head snapped up as Kenji took the tag from her, snapping the girl out of her reverie as she watched him place it on the tree, and waited quietly as he set up a barrier of some sort to protect them. This too was something new for her, but she was enjoying every moment of it. She fixed her eyes on the tree and the tag on it, closing her eyes as she tried to figure out how to trigger the tag, and that smile soon spread across her face once more. It was as if she could feel the tag singing out to her, she could feel her own chakra in it, and the connection she shared with it. It was as if there was this invisible string from it to her, and somehow that connection made her smile all the more.

With that smile plastered on her face, the girl opened her eyes and formed the seal as instructed, grinning as the tree suddenly exploded with the force of the tag. She had felt as if she had just sent a pulse down that invisible string and it had smiled back at her. If there was bliss in this world, Suzume was beginning to think chakra was the definition of it.

Training 479/400Show

*[Basic Jutsu • Chakra Kai]
E-Ranked Ninjutsu
A jutsu used with the purpose of activating seals and a range of devices and weapons, this technique begins with a single handseal. Once this has been performed, the user will focus a dollop of their chakra into what they are looking to activate in order to complete the task. Seals activated with this technique must be within 20 + (Control/2) meters of the user's position.

[Jin the Sugar Glider]

As the tag exploded and sent splinters of wood and branches all over the place, Kenji smirked and walked over to his barrier wall. With a swift punch, the barrier shattered instantly under the force of his fist, and he walked over to what remained of the tree to inspect it. "Well done... It's an easy technique to grasp given the simple nature of it, but regardless. You must be getting tired given all the chakra you've been using, but you're almost done. Let's wrap up the last technique, and then you can rest. I warn you though, this one is much more difficult, both in it's complexity and the very nature of it. It can be daunting to understand as a non shinobi."

Kenji found the chunk of wood he was looking for; a hunk from the trunk of the tree that was about his size. He heaved the piece of wood up with a single hand dug into the bark and tossed it away from them about 20 meters, where it landed with a hard 'THUD' and stopped after a little bit of rolling. "This technique is called the Change of Body Stance, more commonly referred to as 'substitution'. Start by building chakra within your body, then let it out of your body similar to the clone technique. However, instead of forming a clone, direct this chakra towards an object of some sort; that hunk of tree for example. Once the chakra permeates the object in question, you will then... well, it's easier to demonstrate."

Kenji paused in his speech on the jutsu and performed a short series of hand seals, and a moment later he and the log were engulfed in plumes of white smoke. As the smoke cleared, Suzume would find that the two had switched places in an instant. "It's exactly as it appears; you swap places with the object, putting you out of harm's way and leaving the object in your place to take the blow for you. Fill the trunk with your chakra, and then use your control to swap places with the chakra you put inside of the trunk. As I said, it can be difficult to grasp, but surely you can see the uses behind it. Go on and try it out." As he spoke, he walked over and moved the trunk back to where he had it before, and stood next to Suzume as she made her attempt at understanding the last basic technique. After this... she could consider herself a Minor Country Shinobi.

[Willoria]

She tried to absorb his words and instruction, but as seemed to have become a pattern Kenji didn't so much have instruction as he had demonstration. She watched him perform the jutsu diligently and carefully, taking in every detail she possibly could. But she couldn't see the 'trick' to it. She couldn't understand how to do it. But rather than ask Kenji questions, which would likely only serve to annoy and maybe even upset him, she looked around and soon found again the scroll he had handed her before. She unrolled it once more and started looking through it until she came to the new technique, a smile crossing her lips as she finally found it.

Pacing, she started to read, her lips moving with the words as she tried to understand the words. Some of them were words that, while she had heard them before, she had never seen them used in this sense before. Concepts such as 'displacing matter' sounded complicated and after several moments she seemed to sigh in a quiet frustration before rolling up the scroll and dropping it before she walked over to where the tree had exploded and found herself a sizeable piece of it.

Just as Kenji had done she tossed it aside, creating distance between her and it, but her eyesight lingered on it. She closed her eyes and visualized the stump, she remembered carefully the feel of it under her hands, the bark and wood against her fingertips and how rough it was. She tried to visualize some piece of herself within it, a link of her spirit to the wood. The tree had only just exploded moments before and so the wood did not feel 'dead'. It was green, it was fresh, and there was a life in it. She remembered how the wood had felt soft in places as she picked it up, even giving away at her touch and it brought a small smile to her face.

Her eyes still closed she brought her hands up before her and let her hands move slowly through the seals without forming chakra through them at all, not just yet anyway. First she memorized the sequence, just as before, moving through one seal to the next and smiling as she worked. There was a pattern to it, and if one could read her mind they might have heard something akin to a sing song as she moved through it. It was as if her fingers danced through the formation... at least in her mind.

When she felt she had the sequence memorized she opened her eyes and watched her hands as they worked through the seals, frowning as she realized a couple of them were weak and clumsy. She knew the seals needed to be right, especially for something like this, and so the girl sighed heavily in disappointment now but she continued going through the seals until her formation of them cleaned up and she was able to see it perfectly.

So then would come the real test, she had to try the jutsu. She closed her eyes and focused on that energy within that she had only just begun to tap into it. She knew her control of it was rough at best, but she seemed okay with that as she began walking her fingers through the seals once more. She felt the chakra leak from her body and dance between her fingers before it felt as if it were forming a coating all over her body. With a grin she came to the last seal and sucked in a hard breath as she felt what she was certain was the connection between herself and the log and a rush of air. For a moment she stood silent, eyes clamped shut as she was almost afraid to look. Yet when she finally opened her eyes she let out an excited squeal as she realized she had completed the action her first try. The smoke was only just clearing and she grinned at Kenji from several meters away, a grin that wasn't going to be wiped off her face anytime soon.

Training Information 709/680Show

*[Basic Jutsu • Change of Body Stance Technique]
D-Ranked Ninjutsu
After completing the necessary handseals, the user is able to quickly substitute his/her body with a nearby object that is at least 2/3rds his/her size, but no bigger than their body. This substitution allows the object to take the force of the attack that was meant for the user, additionally allowing the user to create distance between him/her and the opponent. The object used in this jutsu may not be objects that are imbued with chakra or controlled by it, and they may also only be single, solid objects within a 20 yard radius of the user. This technique may only be used a total of one time in a single thread, give or take how many times Shunshin no Jutsu has already been used.

[Jin the Sugar Glider]

Kenji watched the confused little girl try her best to understand and grasp the concepts that he had explained and the technical description within the scroll, all the while a slightly amused grin on his face. However, it seemed that chakra control came to her just as naturally as it had to him in his days. Even he couldn't help but clap for his daughter, feeling a sense of pride associated with a teacher who properly taught their student. "Very good Suzume, very good indeed. While I expect you to continue practicing these jutsu as I stated before, i'm sufficiently pleased with your grasp on the basics of ninjutsu."

"And this is only the beginning child. Now that you understand the basics of chakra control, you can discover what your affinity is. You haven't seen it from me, but i'm sure you've read stories of people capable of launching balls of flame or bending the winds to their command. Those who are capable of those feats have what are known as Elemental Affinities. Every shinobi has one with very few exception, and with training one can utilize more than one if they so choose. You have one too... And this" Kenji paused a moment before producing a small, blank piece of paper, similar to the explosive tag she had blown up earlier. "Will reveal your affinity. All you have to do is channel chakra into the paper, and it's reaction to your chakra will reveal your affinity. Now, go ahead and fill the paper with chakra."

He would then hand the paper to her and await the results of the Chakra sensitive paper test. If she bore the blood of him and her mother, chances were good she would have either Katon or Doton, most likely doton considering that he and her mother both bore doton as their affinity.

[Willoria]

Suzume was still grinning excitedly as Kenji walked over and handed her the paper. Of course that confused her a bit, the girl giving him an odd look before looking at the piece of paper she now held between two fingers with a bit of a frown. She hadn't heard of this paper before of course, and the exercise seemed a bit odd. "How is a piece of paper going to show me that?" she asked in almost a sarcastic tone... as if she hadn't just been doing things that before she would have seen before as complete miracles.

But before waiting for an answer from Kenji she sighed and did as she was told, staring at the paper as she channeled chakra into it. She expected a symbol of some kind to pop up, or even a word. Of course what she didn't expect was what actually happened. The paper suddenly burst into flame.

With a yelp, Suzume promptly dropped it and moved to try and stamp it out, as if it hadn't been mostly consumed by the katon flame already anyway.

[Jin the Sugar Glider]

Kenji smirked as the girl questioned the paper test, and simply waited for her to comply with his request so that he could see her face as it... combusted? Well then, that's not at all what he was expecting, though genetically speaking it was a possible outcome. An unlikely outcome, but it seemed she took far more after her mother than even he thought. "Interesting. It would appear that your inherent affinity is Katon; Fire Release. All those myths about people who could spew fire from their mouths are based on those with your affinity, and those things are capable of being done by you. I'm definitely looking forward to how you decide to develop your abilities now..." Kenji turned to head back down the cliff and towards their next destination, motioning for Suzume to follow.

"Now listen close child... Now that you have studied the ways of chakra and learned how to manipulate chakra, you will no doubt eventually catch the eye of others. Do not, under any circumstances, teach anyone else how to use chakra. It is an art that is... not fit for those of weak wills or minds. In addition to that, it is possible that others who can use chakra will seek you out, namely village shinobi. They don't care much for outsiders knowing the ways of chakra. You're a wild card, you bear no allegiance to any village... they don't like that. If you are ever under fire, use that anchor I gave you to escape. You are no where near strong enough to face a shinobi, and the amount of death and destruction I would have to sow to rescue you will grab the attention of all other villages. Neither of us needs that kind of a target on our heads, do you understand? As for lesser shinobi, other missing ninja like myself... This will one day be more than enough to chase them off."

Kenji stopped a moment and reached into his ninja pouch, producing a small silver ring bearing the same symbol as the ring he wore on his left ring finger; the symbol of Chishiki. "I have begun branching out and gathering others who share my desire for knowledge Suzume. This is the symbol of Chishiki, and not long from now it is a symbol that will be recognized and feared for it's power and influence. Wear it with pride." He smiled down as his daughter as he waited for her to put it on, and as she did so, he would continue to walk... They had much to do still. This was only the beginning.

[Willoria]

Despite the fact that she was practically skipping alongside Kenji in her excitement, Suzume followed him diligently. She really was trying to keep her excitement quiet, to calm down, but by the nature of still being a thirteen year old kid, she just couldn't. She listened carefully to what he had to say of course, forcing herself to focus on every word, though her curiosity was finally piqued as he started to think of his organization. She finally calmed and walked normally beside him, turning to give him an odd look as he offered her the ring. "You haven't mentioned this before..." she remarked as she took the ring and looked at it briefly before looking up at her father. 'Is this him acknowledging I'm his daughter? That he's not ashamed of me? That he trusts me?' It was a touching moment for the girl.

A touching moment that she quite quickly ruined on her own by slipping the ring on her middle finger with a wild grin on her face, turning her hand to show Kenji while simultaneously flipping him off.

Naturally she just giggled as he gave a look of complete disapproval and shook his head with a sigh.