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Placing my bag against the tree like I always did I took my spot in the middle of the training grounds. The sky was deep purples and pinks. Beautiful really. "Little Lotus bud! Are you ready for training today?" Cracking my knuckles I pulled my braid round and round till it was in a tight bun. I was ready to fight but he came over and put a hand on my head, "Sit." I hesitated but did what I was told. He sat in front of me about a foot away. "Have you ever meditated before?" I nodded my head. "Sort of. When I do yoga I like to clear my mind." My brain was buzzing loudly. I was ready to fight and just sitting here was more difficult then usual. "A good ninja must always take time to calm the mind and empty it. This allows the flow of chakra to neutralize and ready itself for anything." I sort of understood what he was saying.
"There are 8 chakra gates. Each one can be released with extreme concentration and understand of the chakra network. Releasing even one of these gates will increase your speed and even your ability to heal along with an abundance of other advantages." I cocked my eyebrow. "So if I open all 8?" Would it make me strong enough to beat a Sannin? "Slow down there bud. Opening one chakra gate is a fleet of its own. There is the Gate of Opening. Gate of Healing. Gate of Life. Gate of Pain. Gate of Limit. Gate of View. Gate of Wonder. Gate of Death." I frowned. Gate of death. That doesn't seem like one anyone would want to open. "How many can you open?" Flashing me a smile and that thumbs up pose he answer, "All eight." My mouth hung open. "You didn't have a chance to see Lee's fight but he opened five gates during that match with the sand ninja."
Air caught in my throat. I understood what he was trying to tell me. "Opening a gate has many obvious advantages but at the cost of severe damage to your own body." Crossing my arms over my chest I sighed deeply. "If that's the case why learn them?" He chuckled at my question. " I can sense the will of fire with in you. It burns strong and bright. You wish to become stronger every day so you push and train. Not just for these exams but for your comrades and your village. Or am I wrong?" I clicked my tongue on the rough of my mouth. I guess he was right. If push came to shove and I needed a little boost, lets say against a sannin it would be handy to open a gate or two. "That's what I thought." He cracked his neck, a tooth grin never leaving his face. "The first gate, Gate of Opening is located in the brain. This removes the restraints of the brain on the muscles so one hundred percent of your strength can be used whereas normally, you can only use about twenty percent of your muscles' strength to keep them from disintegrating. Opening the first gate will allow you to use Front Lotus." I nodded taking the information in. "Opening the first gate takes a toll on the body like I said and you will suffer from fatigue when you open it and use front lotus. As I like to put it, it's a double edged sword."
I rocked back and bit and rubbed my temples, I would deal with the side affects later, "So how do I open the first Gate then." He straightened his back and shut his eyes. "Through meditation and extreme mental discipline and understanding of the chakra network." My cheeks puffed out. Mental discipline and meditation. "This is something you probably wont master in your time with me." I gave him a look, "What's the point of explaining it to me if I wont be able to open the first gate with in 9 days?" this was all the time I had left with Gai before I was off to train with Kakashi. "Because I believe that you will be able to accomplish much little bud but if you don't believe in yourself then hard work means nothing." He was right. I had to believe that I could be strong. That I wasn't useless.
I shut my eyes tight and crammed myself into my brain. My heart thumped hard against my chest. I had thought of everything I had ever read about chakra. The network itself ran though your entire body. Intertwined with your organs. I knew that there were chakra points all over your body that couldn't be seen by the naked eye. Only those from the Hyuga clan could see them with their byakugan. Beads of sweat started to roll down my face. The brain had these chakra points. Like my eyes, ears, nose, fingers and toes. I was able to control chakra well. Pushing it through my body and expelling it out of points where I needed it. I was able to focus chakra to my eyes to improve vision and to my arms and hands to create more strength. Maybe If I focus chakra to my brain and its points, it was worth a shot. When I did that there was no release like when I pumped to my other points, the chakra rushed to the points in my head but they had stopped, like there was a wall blocking them right where my forehead was.
My eyes snapped open. I could see blue chakra circling my body. It was gone as quick as it came. Gai-sensei sitting there watching me with a small smile. "That's enough about the gates for today. Up." I did as I was told. Blinking he was a little less then half a kilometer away from me. "I want you to flicker in 20 foot intervals till you reach me." Getting up my eyes were on. I took a deep breath in and put my hands together doing exactly what I was told. I flickered over and over again until I was right in front of him. I blinked and he was across the field. "Again." I nodded and put my hands together flickering all the way toward him. "Faster, Again." I knew I would be exhausted. I was using so much chakra. But I wouldn't give up.
The light hurt my eyes, stung them. I blink a few more time trying to adjust. I had gotten home right before the sun started to rise, I ate and then slept for six hours. Where the sun was in the sky told me it was almost lunch time but the growling in my stomach could have told me that. I got up and tried to stretch, my body hurt and even though I didn't run yesterday I was pretty sure some quick yoga would be a good idea. I knew that tonight I would do some meditation, to try and focus chakra to the first gate. I would open it before the finals because I believed I could.
I jumped in the shower and looked at my clothes. I needed some new ones, they were worn out and started to be to large on my small frame. Slipping into a pair of dark blue capris I pulled the violet tank top Sakura had bought for me when I first arrived. I didn't wear it much anymore because I wanted it to keep its shape. I thought today would be a good day to wear it. It brought out my eyes she always said. I didn't see it.
Looking a the mirror I detangled my nest. The long dark locks curled around my butt licking the start of my thighs. I left my hair out to air dry, clipping the left side back with two pins, each holding a small onyx gem. I had started to enjoy the feeling of the sun in my face. I left the house quickly after that. I was starting to hate how loud the silence was and wondered if Kakashi-sensei would let me live with him forever. I sighed at the thought. There would be a time in his life he would find a girl and get married and settled down. Then where would I be? Assed out of course.
I made my way into town, toward the BBQ place I was sure I would find Shikamaru there. The villagers moved about the stores, laughing, chatting and catching up with their neighbors. I envied them but at the same time I didn't. I didn't think there was anything else in my future but being a ninja. If - when there was another war there was no way I could just sit and hide waiting for others to save me. I spent 15 years of my life hidden, being saved and It was time that I did the saving.
"Hey!" My gaze jumped up and I let the left side of my mouth quirk up. Waving at the boy I caught them just as they were about to enter the restaurant. "Suiren, pleasure as always." I bowed my head at their sensei. "You know its bad for you to smoke so much." He gave me a smirk and a roll of the eyes. "Come on lets go I'm starving!" I chuckled knowing Choji probably had a full breakfast this morning on top of the large amount of meat he was probably going to consume. "Alright, alright." With a nod he went in after the kid and I glanced at Shika. Always quietly observing. "We don't have to eat here."
"I don't really care. Maybe we can eat outside. It's a nice day." I watched him look up at the clouds before looking back down at me. "That wouldn't be a drag." We walked side by side. Quiet, he was probably thinking what I was going to want to know about the fight, I was just sort in my own world. So much on my mind it was starting to burn out even though I had only been up for a little while.
"How about here?" I looked up, I wasn't much of a person with a sweet tooth but I hadn't really had really indulged since I started my training. "Sure that works." Once inside the Dango shop we ordered food to go and left, leading us to the spot by the bridge that was so familiar to me and my team. It was instinct to go there. Once there I complete had forgot that I was even with Shikamaru. My face dust pink I turned to him, "I hope this is alright. I just spaced out and started walking." He shrugged his shoulders, watching me carefully. "Good spot to see the clouds." He sat down under the tree I always sat with my team and it brought on a wave of nostalgia.
Opening up the container of food we started to eat. For someone with no sweet tooth I was really enjoying the meal. "So tell me about what happened after I finished?" I crossed my legs Indian style and turned to the boy. A dumpling in his mouth I tried not to laugh when I realized I caught him off guard. Once he swallowed he looked up for a moment before back down to me. "Well after your match Shino beat a kid from the sound with wind in his palms. Then was the match you would have wanted to see. That sand ninja seemed to have a tough time fighting Choji's human boulder. The kid was dodging and dodging, had a knack for poison to. Sebons, kunia, surikin, all dipped in it. When Choji made a direct hit we thought he had won but it turned out he had switched places with the doll on his back so it took the hit. He came out of the wraps and caught him by surprise thus ending the match. "I nodded my head mulling it over in my head before he kept talking. "Troublesome if you ask me. That ninja defiantly didn't show all of his moves. He played it safe. If I had to take a guess he was much more in tuned with that puppet then he let on." I let out a sigh and ran my fingers through the right side of my hair.
"I'm sure you'll be fine though with the way you handled that sound ninja." I glanced over at him, I slightly nibbled on my thumb nail. "Maybe." I leaned back against the tree and he laid on the grass, arms folded behind his head like a pillow. "Can you tell me about Lee's match?" His eyes flickered over to me before looking back at the sky. I wasn't sure if I even wanted to know the extent of it. It would probably only make me that more annoyed at the situation that Sasuke was in but I listened anyway. To all the grueling details. To how he opened five gates and here I was trying to open one.
I winced when he told me that Gai had to step in when Gaara tried to deal the final blow. I thought back to my own match where Kakashi-sensei had done the same but to me, because I couldn't stop. Where him and I the same? Was this putrid chakra turning me into a blood lust ninja? "You're troubled." My head turned to the boy his eyes still looking toward the sky, "So is the life of a ninja." Always troubling, always weary of what was to come. I let my head fall back against the tree and looked up at the sky. The clouds slowly moving by with the wind. Not a care in the world, no pain no anxiety. Now the clouds was something I could be completely envies of.
"Well thank you so much for all your help." I cracked a smile, even though the more information I had, seemed to just add insult to injury the afternoon was calming. It left me feeling like I did after a session of meditation.
I had assumed it was because of the calming silence. One I could usually find in my moody teammate. "I am usually around if you need some good places to watch the clouds." Shikamaru was someone I was glad to know. He wasn't my team but he was a comrade and I was starting to understand all those things the Hokage had told us about home. I was starting to see it with others, like Gai-sensei and Lee. Comrades are an important part of being a ninja and being part of a village.
"Shikamaru are you on a date?!" I winced at the sound. It was worse then nails on chalk board. "Sorry Shika. When she saw you weren't with us she wouldn't leave us alone." I instantly regretting walking with him to where he was training because I had time to kill. "What a drag." He mumbled. "Well i guess im out of here." I said backing up slowly. "Oh no you don't we have to talk." She reached out to grab my wrist but I was fast.
"I have to train." I said looking over at the boy with pleading eyes. "Ino, relax. She just wanted to talk about the preliminaries since she missed the match of her opponent for the finals." She looked between the two of us, her face not changing, not believing the truth in front of her. "I'm sorry to have to break this up but it's time for Shikamaru and Choji to get to work." I would have hugged Asuma-sensei if I wasn't so socially awkward.
"Well thanks again Shika. Ill see you around. Bye Guys." He gave me a two finger salute and I turned on my heels moving fast, as far away from the training grounds as possible. "And where do you think you're going?" I almost jumped out of my skin when Ino came around a corner and cut me off. Instinctively I reach for a kunia from my pouch. "Oh relax I just want to tell you I give you my blessing is all." She waved everything off like it was nothing but now I was even more confused then ever.
"It's like you are speaking another language." She scrunched her face for a moment before rolling her eyes. "I'm saying if you like Shikamaru I think you should go for it." My mouth hung slightly open for a moment. "I don't like anyone. Shikamaru is my friend. That's it." I made sure to leave space between my words so there was no confusion with what I was saying to her. "So you do like Sasuke then!?" I was starting to get a head ache. "I do NOT like anyone, Ino." She looked at me, deeply and I didn't look away, i let her try and find what she was looking for cause I knew it wasn't there.
"Do you understand the words coming out of my mouth?" I was starting to get fed up. What was in the water here that made this girls just not want to quit. Ino wasn't the type to let some know they caught her off guard. Unlike myself she didn't sit there with her mouth open trying to formulate words. I could tell she was thinking. "Listen, I've been acting like a bitch. Let me make it up to you. Maybe diner tonight?" Her voice was low, rushed but clear. Acting out of character seemed to hard for Ino.
I hesitated and she snapped a little, "If you don't want to that's fine. I was just trying to be nice." Iput my hand up to stop her from walk away. "No, That's not it at all it's just Sakura is cooking dinner at my place tonight. Why don't you come by? I haven't had company in a while." It was my turn to be out of character. Little bumps rose on my skin, hot and irritating. "Oh, well alright. Should I bring anything?" She turned to me, an awkward smile on her face. " How about some flowers?"