After his mission to bring back the scroll fake Kabuto stole, Argies returned home finding it hard to rest. For the first time since his guardian's disappearance, he struggled to fall asleep; now feeling the absence of his Aunt and Uncle more than ever, in the Leaf Village all alone. An Unsettling empty worry settled in to replace the renewed loss, the sharp edge of his guardians' capture and the suspicions Kabuto cast; was he safe? Were his Aunt and Uncle spies, he was undecided, and now he feared what others thought too. Was this spy who faked his appearance to look like Kabuto expressing what was written about him in his ninja files, what the Leaf thought, what his comrades felt. Another thought occurred to him to, now that he knows his Guardians are captured… what will he do?
His struggle to rest abandoned, he gets up and parts himself from sleep to look through the scroll his guardians left him. Mesmerised, he finds himself looking through the script at random, searching for no particular subdivision but instead far off in his thoughts. It surprises him that the scroll in his hands contains the secrets of his village, secrets of how almost every jutsu works. His surprise is born from the fact that his guardians trusted him with such a thing. The same scroll his Aunt wrote into whenever they encountered a new jutsu in the forest of death, it was now in his hands.
Again Argies waits for day to pass into night before summoning Kinjo, gathering his thoughts as to not upset or displease the summons. Argies main concern is that his guardians truly are spies from the Mist and that his standing in the Leaf was unclear… friend or foe.
…
I struck my hand to the ground and the summoning Fuuinjutsu spread out over the hovels of the earthy soil and grass.
"Young Argies" Kinjo greeted, but before the summons could continue I interjected my concerns.
"Are they spies Kinjo?" I instinctively looked away from the glare Kinjo shot, I looked to the Forest of Death around me coercing the cold out of my bare shoulder trying to forget the loneliness, and then I looked back. "I wanted to… I needed to ask this last time but I was charmed by your words and in fear for my guardians on hearing the situation, but now. Now I fear for myself Kinjo. Am I an orphan of war, a child left behind before the infiltration unit could be discovered? Should I be worry for my safety?"
"Meow Meow" Kinjo looked around and about, I suspect fearing what it thought could be a trap, before staring me down in answer. "Has your mind gone so weak that parasites bore in and riddled your head with so many holes that your sense has poured out?" The summons licked at its curled foot and brushed away at the fur around its face, an act of relaxed bafflement but I remained with my arms folded waiting for my answer. "Let me tell you of Anisue and Reno's participation during the tournament, and my mission over the course of your match. Perhaps that will explain where your loyalties should stand."
"Meow, where to start…" While Kinjo thought back for a beginning, I sat down on the rock my guardians had me stand on during my Drifting mist training, here in the Forest of Death where I learnt so much about my people, my gentle breeze and where I sparred that short time with my guardians when they were sealed away from their power. The waterfall nearby emanating a cold into the air as a haze of water lifted from the crashing down pour, coming to calm the cold it held in it to the cold I held in me.
"The preliminary tournament of the Chunin exam," Kinjo had finally found a beginning, my summons lifting its head to the reminiscence "Do you remember it Argies?" I inclined my head that I did but said nothing. "The prompter recognised that I was attached to you, that a summons was in place, that your power was unnaturally amplified putting your adversary at any 'unfair' disadvantage" Kinjo twisted demon lips into a smile in the absurdity of what could be called unfair when playing Shinobi games. I thought back to the event.
"Unfair yes" I smirked to.
…
"The rules for this match are the same as for the standard of every single combat tournament between Shinobi; meaning no summoning jutsus, no suicide Jutsus and no forbidden jutsus. A match can be ended at any time either by forfeit, by the intervention of your Sensei or the Hokage himself" The ref prompter Hayate Gekko opened the match pointing out a selection of Rules Argies hadn't expected. The prompters voice highlighting one rule in particular, raising an eye brow at Argies.
The match between Argies, Arisu and Katsumi was just about to begin, when the prompter reminded them of the rules.
A guilty Argies flushed white and then red "Hahaha… I guess I missed that warning the first time it was announced" Argies nervously chuckled before Kinjo reformed out of the shroud around his head. Leaping for Argies shoulder Kinjo dispersed with a bow of its head towards Hayate, thankful for the prompter's lenience in not instantly disqualifying young Argies rebellious transgression.
"That kind of thing is allowed in the Forest of Death" The prompters words resonated with a dark foreboding warning that matched his ill condition, cautioning all those in attendants. "*Cough*, but in the confines of this match it would be a dishonour upon the Nation who allows it."
Argies Bowed in apology, the degree of his misbehaviour now beading his suddenly feverishly damp skin. "Yes sir Hayate, I will abide by the rules as they are set." Argies returning from his bow looked up for approval from his Guardians, there was none to be found, but instead he found Kinjo had taken up a place alongside his Aunt and Uncle in watch of the match. Argies Match. 'My match' Argies though and this reinvigorated him as an opportunity to earn his Guardians respect.
With the match begun the ninja cast aside their interests, the two combatants were unknown and their skills deemed uneventful. Asuma was the first to bring attention to Argies in particular "A cat as a summons hey?" He directed the question at no one, but they heard him none the less.
"What's so strange about that Sensei?" Shikamaru's ears perked to the hint of interest in his Sensei's voice, pulling away from the wall he was rested against, now keen to watch the match seeking out any cause for curiosity.
Asuma's cigarette hung loose in his mouth, in his drawled answer. "Well it's just that…" The Jounin's words were cut short by another voice who stepped forward in watch of the match.
Sasuke stood up, injured and weakened, his interest was likewise drawn. "Cats aren't aligned to any virtue making them hard to control in combat."
"I don't get it Sensei" Chouji roused himself from his seated position on the floor. "What does he mean by 'aligned'?"
"W-a, I don't believe it!" Ino's remark resounded of the walls grabbing even more attention; intoning her bafflement for her team mates' ignorance "Do you two ever pick up a book!" She began her nagging, which in some cases was the only way any progress was made in team Asuma. "Every summons has a set of terms for their contracts, most won't ask for much depending on their Alignment which is why a cat summons is so strange. A summons can have over 17 different alignments, they could be good, evil, neutral, chaotic good and so on."
"I still don't get it…"
A cloud of smoke steamed from Asuma's sigh, taking over from Ino he began. "Naturally summons can be good or evil and anywhere between. Determining whether they would want to join you in combat or not. Like the Nara clan's deer summons, who rarely join combat because they are of a natural but good alignment, there are many summons which are only used as messengers or medical aids."
In a chakra burst another Ninja joined in on the conversation over watching the tournament. "Which is why it's so strange for this Genin to have a cat as a summons." The leaf ANBU ninja took her place besides Asuma, watching her Genin fight Argies.
Sasuke looked up at the ANBU with an almost resentment in his eyes. "Cat's aren't aligned to any virtue, good bad or otherwise, they instead fight only on the side that wins"
the denser meats, and poured a bowl for himself.
"Prr?" Kinjo purred in a questioning manner, wondering if the offer was sincere. "It has been a while since I've had the pleasure of human foods. Your tastes are unaligned to any faction of palates as you do not fear eating predators that are stronger than you. Summons, as I'm sure you are aware of, fear eating what preys them; hence a lack of cultured foods within the summons realm." Kinjo ambled towards the man as he began to pour a bowl for the cat like demon, steam wafting up from its goodness. "I admire you frail humans for this peculiarity."
"Agh yes, Human food has much to desire." The old man looked up at the world around him with a appreciation, before stumbled on his words "Likewise as, as I am sure the things of the summons' worlds has things of beauty too." He smiled warmly at the cat demon who was eating from the second bowl prepared, ignoring Kosuke's prideful charm. "If it is not too much trouble, can I ask why you are here Kinjo. It is rare for creatures of the summoning realm to visit me merely for my food, what message do you have to deliver? What order would you have me fulfil?"
"Meow meow" Kinjo delightfully hummed, licking its lips. "I will have to reassess my visits in future, meow, to include meetings solely for your food Kosuke Maruboshi." Kinjo jumped up onto the man's shoulder purred into the old man's ear. "In four years war will strike, it is a prediction which is feared but one both Reno and Anisue have foreseen. As one of the Drifting Mist I am sure you have felt it in your bones, the coming peril to the world, just as felt in the summons realms. The only means of preservation is preparation; no intervention is able to avert this confrontation." Kosuke hummed with agreement, waiting for his orders to be heard. The winds blew through the unnatural quiet and the fireplace crackled with tension.
Pausing even from purring the demon like cat pronounced each word to follow with a tongue that would let no misunderstanding intervene. "Destiny has marked our way with many forks in time, to a future with a symphony of possibilities, however one fork remains true in all realities. The Elders of the Vanishing Village have foretold for many millennium the story of a single Ages. Alone they are the pivoting point, a certainty that aligns all our paths into a future that balances on the scale of fate. Equally In the summons realm our elder cat has in vision seen that The Ages is the instrument of change through all of existence. In all visions that have ever come to pass telling of the future, this prophecy can be no clearer, for both the summons realms and the Elders of Ages have seen it to be true." Kinjo paused again, the demon cat's ears perked clearing any suspicion that their meeting wasn't secret. Then resuming once again the summons unfolded the secrets of the replica prophesy.
"The young Ages, here within the Leaf, has been touched by destiny. He will be the one used to bring about great fortune or great catastrophe. Fate has marked him in preparation for the coming war. It is only though him that change will come."
Jumping down in front of Kosuke, Kinjo bowed and issued. "I Kinjo aide of the Vanishing Mist, charge you to assist in training this child of prophesy left here behind in the Leaf. Guild him in his path, teach him of the Vanishing Mist and do not allow him to drift from his hearts desires into duties treachery. Do not befall the same burdens on him as those that have fallen on you. Guild Argies Ages"
Poof!
Not a moment later, Maruboshi could hear the footsteps of a young ninja in the distance. Deciding that one unexpected visitor for the morning was enough; Kosuke stood up from his seat in front of his cooking fire to confront his intruder.
Walking up the incline to the forest over handing the right of the village monument, Argies found his path blocked by an old man. It was a beautiful place, no people in sight and no buildings but instead the forest with the Village in the distance. It reminded Argies of his home, his Guardians bread house, away from the collective of the Leaf's dwellings and shops and instead surrounded by open grasses and tall trees. This place, a place he was directed to by some of the Villages who knew Kosuke, had no houses. No home for the man they called the Eternal Genin, instead Argies imagined the man live life like a ninja on a mission; yet for some reason Argies found a freedom in that pretence. The path he followed suddenly narrowed and this was where the Old man stood, waiting for him and as such blocking the route to Kosuke's camp.
"Hmm" The old man, hunched over with age, squinted but said nothing to the boy he blocked the path from.
Argies likewise said nothing, mumbling to himself and clearly frustrated yet keeping his tongue still in respect for an elder.
Kosuke looked down at Argies and humbled again, the sun's rays tinted orange in the mid mornings sky that shone off the boy's protector. "Agh? A young ninja, and where might you be going?" He smiled warmly at the young boy who looked up to the inquiry.
"I'm on a mission." Argies bluntly voiced, not willing to give further detail.
"I see…hmm" Kosuke remained, keeping his position, "If you're on a mission you better hurry and get passed me." his voice cheery and good natured.
"Yes of course, thank you." The young ninja stepped forward expecting the old man to now stand aside and let him pass, he didn't. "I…" the boy grimaced and Kosuke smiled kindly with his hands on his hips, obstinate to the young ninja's silent request.
"You are a ninja aren't you?" The man blocking the boy's path tilted his head to the smooth faced wall beside him…
…
'What is the deal with this guy… fine I guess his old and he wants to see some magic tricks? Old man's probably never seen a ninja up close before.'
I placed one foot on the wall and began to walk up the vertical face.
But!
As soon as I was at the height of the old man, he reached out and grabbed my right leg pulling free my footing. The sudden alarm of losing my grip did not unbalance my left foot; it was just very rude of the man. I swung around with my arms folded to glare down with a good hard disapproval. The old man was still holding my leg, still friendly regarding me with marvel in his eyes.
"Indeed you are skilled for a Genin." Suddenly without any warning the man yanked my leg felling me from the wall onto my butt. I stared up from the dirt that clouded around me, 'what the!' I looked to the opening, it was unguarded now that the man stared down at me. "What happened, did you slip?" the old man rested his hands on his knees while he inspected me and then with a hand on his chin and eye on the wall he hummed again. "hmm?"
I hurried for the opening, 'I'm not about to let this continue' "Substitute jutsu!" I slammed the log in place, jumped up and cut through to the opening. Expecting to collide with fresh air, I instead rebounded from the strangely hard body of the man returned to block my path. Falling to the ground I cast a scowl up "What is with you old man!" I shouted out of frustration but quickly puckered my lips shut out of shock, my words both rude and disrespectful.
"Mind you young man, I only wish to know where you might be going?" The old man now standing straight and tall looked down on me with a commanding tone.
"I'm looking for a man named Kosuke Maruboshi."
The old man smiled warmly once again "Did it not come to mind that perhaps you have already found this man?" He extended a hand to help me up but I refused it and remained seated to the ground.
"And what's that supposed to mean?" Despite feeling my words misplaced I was irked by this obstructing man, and as such my tone remained.
"My name is Kosuke Maruboshi, it is an Honour to meet you Argies Age?" He said my name in question but my eyes bulged.
"How do you know who I am?"
He offered his hand once again. "Drifting in Mist Wandering in Winds, Is that not what they say?" I took the offer and stood up from the ground, dusting myself off.
"Does that mean you truly are Kosuke Maruboshi?" I pulled out a file from storage. "Your appearance has changed dramatically from when you took this picture." The ninja files which were liberated for us Chunin to use were old and often outdate, which was why so many of the ninja I had in my hospital research were already deceased. They only catalogued Genin, at least those where the ninja profiles available to us, meaning Kosuke's Genin statue was very fortunate in that I could find him without drawing attention to either of us. I wonder if that is the strategy of a spy…?
"Agh yes that picture, I still had a little black in my hair then." He snatched the profile from me staring at himself with the welcoming smile of memory on his wrinkled face.
"There is something I must know before anything else can be said." I took a deep breath and gathering my courage to whatever the answer might be. "The Vanishing Village, are we truthfully a network of spies and not the praiseworthy Hidden Village I was told we are?" Kosuke eyed me with a grim seriousness crumpling his earlier friendly demeanour.
With his face stone he confirmed, "Indeed you pose a serious question." and then, the weight in his manner returned back to his relaxed temperament. "Come, we should not discuss this out in the open. Let me show you my humble camp overlooking the Leaf in all its splendour."
…
Journeying up to the old man's camp site, Argies saw that it was as simplistic as he had imagined. To live a life as a ninja, free from the rules of social etiquette taxes and judgment. To hunt and harvest all that is needed for your living and to simply sustain your survival with no need to worry for how you will pay tomorrows debts. That was a life Argies could appreciate worth living, and with his present dilemmas one he realised would free him from many of his troubles.
"Hm Hm Hm" The old man laughed with good humour. "It has been a while since company has taken that path to my home, I hope my forest canopy and flooring fits to your comforts." He arced his arm across all that was his, his dwelling in this world still a prize to him even if it seemed very hollow and lacking. "Since the appointment of the New Hokage and the death of Lord 3rd, I have been invited on very few missions." Argies looked across to the fire pit still burning and the wok set aside from it, the two bowls and the log providing a seat next to the warm blaze. A tent offering shelter and a small area assigned to training privately.
Argies could see the loneliness in this place, realising that his fantasy of freedom also robbed this man of the burden and joy that came along with people. Friendship, love and companionship was lacking in the woods you called your own. To take up a shelter in nature away from society, deprived you from human contact in what was human nature but to be around others.
Pulling out a scroll from his animal skin vestment, Kosuke formed hand signs and instructed his chakra "Seal!" The area around them suddenly went deaf with silence. Argies recognised the effect to be the same as the Hokage's silencing seal which she used in her office to keep her meetings private. "Now that the privacy seal has been activated, what do you want to ask of me young Ages?"
"I asked" Argies hesitated finding his voice suddenly missing, swallowing to encourage its return he continued. "I asked if the Vanishing Village is a lie and if my Guardians and my heritage is nothing more than a falsehood created to swindle me into a false loyalty."
Kosuke hummed with question, looking down on the young boy in front of him with a pain in his eyes. A burden floating under the mask Argies wore, the confusion set into one that was so lost and alone yet also young and faithful "In truth Argies I cannot say." Immediately the boy objected to the truth withheld from him but Kosuke continued. "I do not know if what you ask is true, if the Village that Birth you and I is but a falsehood of betrayal set upon us to deceive the homestead that raised us. I do not know" The old man smiled weakly. "I've never been to the Vanishing Village."
"What do you mean?" Argies inquired further in his confusion.
"Your Guardians are the only ones I knew of in the Village who were from the Wandering Winds and had been there." Kosuke explained. "You see Argies, children of the Drifting Mist are never raised within the Wandering Winds. It is how we as a people have survived for so long, because our Village isn't known to us we cannot reveal its location to the enemy and because we are not trained in our Village's mystic arts our people are no longer hunted." The old man turned around to gaze upon the Leaf Village below, his voice filled with a philosophical tone. "' To protect their knowledge they no longer teach their children ninja arts, instead they bring burdens to their name and hope that instead their children will comeback with knowledge in return.' That is what was quoted to me by my guardians before their leave."
"And… How long ago was that?" Argies feared that it may be just as what had begun to happen to him, that he too was being abandoned.
"The time has travelled so rapidly since then." Maruboshi turned back to Argies, thinking into his passed. "I was only a Genin than and I am still a Genin now, I would say It maybe 46 years when last I saw my guardians." Argies gulped to this news, but the old man's kind smile reassured him. "Do not worry Argies, when my guardians left I had no others from the Drifting Mist who could help me with my troubles, but. You have me, and I offer you my guidance and support."
"You are only a Genin in all these years… why?" Argies worried, finding that an old man of his age was extraordinarily low ranked for a ninja. 'How could he help me a Chunin?'
"It was a choice I made 46 years ago, one that I will remain by till the conclusion of my life" The old man's mood turned bitter for a moment and then he smiled invitingly. "What do you want to know, is there anything I might be able to help you with?"
"Well…" Argies thought shifting his weight awkwardly, finding it hard to admit his weaknesses and that he needed help. "So much has gone wrong recently" His voice momentarily broke. "I guess I should focus on other things and those more closely at hand." Tenten's words echoed in his head as he thought out loud. "The one problem I need help with right now is my ninjutsu. I lack the ability to maintain control over my senses when wielding my living blood." Argies raised a hand and let blood steam through his skin into a visible vapour in the air. "My ability is to absorb my enemies' chakra through contact with my blood, but when I unleash this technique the elation of baring more chakra than what I am accustomed to… causes me to lose sense of myself and I turn into a demon thirsting for more." Argies let the flash of vapored chakra and plasma vanish from his hand, and conceded with his head lowered to the fact that he thought there was nothing the Old man could do to help.
"You are a Chakra Kyuin Jutsu user." The old man hummed and stroked his chin thoughtfully "Users of Chakra Absorption jutsu must be able to process the chakra they absorb, balancing the yin and yang of their centres." Argies mood brightened and lifted along with his eye brows and head raised, he did not expect his problem to be answered so coherently. The old man grinned recognising the change in the young ninja's mood and now continued on knowing his student's full attention was grasped, and that the sorrow that was there is squelched. "Yin and Yang are the two principles of resting chakra; Spiritual and Physical, spiritual being yourself, your will, your mind's consciousness, and Physical being your stamina, your body, your life energy. When you absorb chakra from another, the balance of Yin and Yang is corrupted with the repurposing of unequal amounts of either energy. This is what causes the lashing of your physical and mental self, causing harmony to be lost."
"How do I overcome this disharmony Maruboshi?" Young Argie's was beginning to refer to the old man with respect, honouring the man's wisdom and wiliness to guide him.
Kosuke formed one hand into a concentrating seal to activate his chakra. "When too much physical chakra is absorbed, you must return harmony by increasing your spiritual chakra." He lifted one hand to show a balance in physical. "When Spiritual chakra is absorbed, you must return harmony by increasing your physical." He lowered his hand to show a return to balance with an increase in physical.
"…But how, how will I even know if I've absorbed too much physical or spiritual?" Argies blinked in question, seeing no way of determining how in his own mind.
"Hmm, in your training in the Academy I am sure they have taught you how to balance chakra in order to execute different ninjutsu techniques." Argies nodded allowing the old man to continue. "Certain jutsu's require more physical or spiritual in order to affectively use chakra not in a wasteful manner. It is this conservation of energy which is important for your wielding of chakra Absorption jutsu. You are experience with absorbing an unequal amount of resting chakra?" Kosuke probed with the raise of an eyebrow.
Argies thought back to the Bukijutsu fight and to when he attacked Yuu. Both times he lost control over himself but he now began to see a difference. In his fight with Yuu he still had control over his actions, his will was still his own only he felt enticed to lust for blood. In the Bukijutsu tournament however, he lost all control over his physical self but mentally he was conscious of his actions. "I have, with this new insight I believe I know the difference between a suppression of Spirit's will and my body's restraint. When my spiritual will is suppressed, I lose control over my freewill and body. When my physical energy is suppressed, I lose control over my desires and inhibitions, yet…Both times I become like an animal…"
"Hmm, I see" Kosuke hunched over and looked at Argies for a long meaningful time whilst he thought. "You become a monster in form when your body's physical energy is greater, and monster in mind when your spiritual energy is greater. Yin and Yang is also often seen as a battle of good and evil, when one is greater than the other it gives way for the opportunity for evil to enter and corrupt. Do you fear this form Argies Ages?"
Argies thought on this for a moment, speculating whether there was some good in any of this speak of evil. Could it be possible to harness the power of this evil form? Finally he determined an answer. "For the safety of my comrades and my sanity, I cannot abide this evil and yes I fear it."
"Good" The quick approval of that word somehow felt wrong in Argies ears, the old man continued on long before Argie's shook the horrible feeling. "We should begin then…The earth seal and the jutsu's it can perform need physical energy, maintaining this seal requires endurance and the defiance of stubbiness. The metal seal and the jutsu's it can perform need spiritual energy, maintaining this seal requires mental will and the attitude of deep concentration and focus." Kosuke jeered lightly with a sly half smile "Which do you want to begin first?"
"Mental strength and focus has served me well, and I fear in these trying times I might need it more so then ever." Argies cast his vision down at how bright the world had become, the day already moving on. "Metal seal it is!"
…
"Are you sure this is how it works?" Aries queried once again, now that the machine had been crafted in full. The work in making it took an hour along with time in its explanation, but now with the work done Argies scratched his head again as to what his training could be.
"Your skill in craft is exceptional." Kosuke complemented while strapping a length of rope to either end of the large log. "Where did you learn to build?"
"I guess it was a talent I learnt in a variety of places." Argies thought back to the days of his inter Village missions, not further back in time than 6 months. "I received quite a few missions in construction work around the Village when I was still a Genin, that coupled with my trap making Hobby helped build this craftsmanship." He boasted loudly with a proud smugness on his face, standing before the pendulum he made with Kosuke, he folded his arms with accomplishment.
"Agh so you are a Chunin then?" Kosuke tested the ropes he strapped to the ends of the pendulum, the wooden post swinging left and right, confirming that it worked.
"I was in the Chunin games." Argies stopped his explanation there, as enough was said and that statement followed with mixed feelings.
"Hmm, well then let us begin" Kosuke's chakra shifted and in a blur he was beside the great machine. Argies likewise shifted out of reality and in a burst of speed climbed the wooden stake piecing the ground in front of the pendulum.
The Mechanism as a whole was a simple pendulum that pivoted from a point not centred with the log, thus when the log swung from left to right both ends stuck out from behind the wooden struts supporting its weight. It was a giant metronome, not keeping time but instead providing a moving target on either end of its arm. Kosuke controlled its speed and in which direction it arced with the ropes he attached to its either end. Argies stood on a wooden stake sticking out from the ground far in front of the pendulum.
"I have 30 projectiles." Kosuke called. "You have 30 kunai. While forming the symbols of Snake and Bird, which together form metal (spirit) you must dispose of your 30 kunai, fifteen into either end of this pendulum before I dispense of my 30 projectiles. When you hear these cogs knock into the pendulum, that is your call to form bride and snake." Maruboshi arced the arm left for bird and right for snake, the two cogs made different sounds.
"And this will achieve an increase in my mastery of Spiritual energy?" Argies beamed, looking excited for the first time since meeting the old man.
"It will not only do that Argies" Kosuke swung the arm to begin. "It will sharpen your accuracy, your focus and your ability to multitask."
…
"Is this really how they train the Spirit?" I was beginning to think I made the wrong choice in choosing mental first, this task was so frustrating and it was beginning to give me a head ache. It was hard to follow the pendulum and keep up with the projectiles you had to dodge, at the same time that you had to count how many kunai you struck into either end of the log because fifteen was needed in each. Then to was the fact that you needed to accurately hit the log on target, form hand seals depending on which cog you heard and not be tricked into following the pendulum with your body instead of your eyes and inadvertently be struck by a projectile. Agh just thinking about the technicality made my head hurt!
Kosuke began to form words in response but by that time I had already forgotten what I asked, my mind was immersed in the task. "It is the only way." Those words, despite not knowing in what response it was from, made me determined to be victorious. 'It is the only way, to become stronger and I must become stronger!'
Focusing on the pendulum, shifting my torso just above my waist, I kept my attention concentrated on my task. The numbing pattern of sounds from the cogs, entered my mind telling my hands 'snake' 'bird'. The projectiles flung at me took in the rhymed, my body weaving in and out of the obstructions, left right centre. My hands forming in and out of seal with the opportunity to strike the target, counting off the number of kunai sticking out of wood.
And then!
The arm of the pendulum swung dramatically and so too did I, it was a mistake and before I could correct it the first projectile collided with me and that err followed with many more projectiles taking advantage of my loss in harmony.
"Shall we begin again?" Kosuke's voice echoed in my mind and for a moment I didn't hear it, still coming out of my trance with equilibrium.
"Yes let's begin again, I think I'm beginning to understand how this qualifies as training." I gave my half smile but stifled my laughter fearing it would disrupt my synchronism.
Again the task began. I waited this time. I couldn't wait forever since the test only lasted as long as there were projectiles to be thrown by Kosuke, and by that time I needed to throw all my kunai, but I waited sucking in the rhythm; becoming one with the test.
"Begin!" I said out loud and Kosuke faltered on hearing my words, throwing the pendulum into a wild swing, but it didn't matter. "two kunai" I struck both ends of the pendulum at once "Bird, Snake" forming my hands into seals in time with each knock of the cogs. "Four kunai" again I did the same "Bird, snake" Kosuke controlled the arm changing its speed and pattern but to no avail, he could not make me falter, I dodged all his projectiles effortlessly. "Six kunai. Bird, snake. Eight Kunai, Bird,Snake" The games speed advanced rapidly. "Ten Kunai, Bird, snake, Bird snake. Twelve Kunai bird snake." So much was happening that I was able to wipe the sweat off my brow without thinking and yet still keep in pattern and avoid being hit. "Fourteen Kunai Bird Snake, snake Bird" Kosuke put a fierce effort into slowing the pendulum enough to return the arm back to the cog it just came from, but his trickery could not fool me and instead increased my attack. "Sixteen, eighteen twenty. Snake Bird" The game now placed in reveres with the arm moving right to left instead of the left to right I was used to. Still I remained strong. "Twenty two snake bird" The arm was swinging erratically now and Kosuke did something else I did not expect.
Just as I was about to call out twenty four, Kosuke called out another number instead "Twenty three…" and so it went, and my brow beaded profusely with more sweat, the head ache coming back.
I was determined however. "Twentry eight. Snake Bird" I said by mistake and now had to remember that I should have said twenty six. "Twenty… eight, Snake bird" I smile overcoming that hurdle too. "Thirty Snake Bird! *Click" I clicked my fingers to my accomplishment; there was nothing in my hands to throw but sound. "Oh man I just want to carry on, this was fantastic Kosuke!" I jumped down from the log, huffing breathlessly only now realising how exhausted I was mentally and physically.
"Indeed that was quite the accomplishment Argies" Maruboshi came over to my side to make sure I was alright. "Have a short break and in a moment we will return back to the task, three more times will prove you have mastered this technique."
I huffed at how tireless his training was but smiled slyly "I look forward to it" confident that I could make it happen.
…
We had a short meal before continuing, but at the end of four, five, six more goes at the mechanism I was satisfied that I could focus my Spiritual energy.
"Ok there is still time in the day, I'm ready to take a crack at that Physical test too Maruboshi…" I paused for a moment reconsidering, but then I thought of something else to contradict my reconsideration. "Maruboshi, tell me. As a Drifting in Mist Wandering in Winds ninja, do you sleep often?" It was in part a trick question; I wanted to test if he really was a kin ninja.
The old man smiled with a glint of wisdom in his eye, he knew in truth what my question was "Agh yes it is always good to retest the loyalties of new acquaintances, yes indeed in this shinobi world there is little you should trust and I do not blame you for it. Accusation is how we survive, especially when we are the Drifting Wanders of the Wind and Mist." His smile lingered but he remained silent.
"You still didn't answer my question?" I tilted my head mockingly. We had taken up sitting opposite each other from the fire, relaxing our postures after the torrent of exercises. I looked at Maruboshi through the flame's orange blaze, his eyes did not lose their trained focus on me. He as well as I, we were both being cautious of new company. "I asked the question, which means I already know the answer." I steered the interrogation, admitting it was what it was; an accusation.
"Indeed and very well. You have already shown you know of the secret technique of our people" He was talking of my Gentle Breeze technique, taught to me by my guardians in the forest of death. "It is only right that I return the favour." He lifted his arm and a dark green mist fading into black smoke waved off it. "It is why I am known as a survivalist expert, our heritages secret protects us from harm and similarly our custom of placing stones in our sleeping reinforces the chance that we will be awake to confront the attack. It is why we can survive where others do not."
I gulped suddenly because of seriousness in his tone, but then an interest caught my eye and distracted me from the mute mood. "Why is your chakra breeze green where as my breeze is purple?"
"That Argies is your chakra's colour, the colour of your soul and body combined." I frowned at Kosuke's words because they were beginning to sound like some Zen hocus-pocus. He clarified to alleviate me of my scowl. "Every individual's chakra is different; to a chakra sensory ninja each chakra signal is as unique as a person's face. This is how they identify friend from foe and how they track their targets down. Depending on the sensory type they can in essence hear, smell, feel and see your chakra. To the Byakugan, patterns are seen. To the nose of a skilled Inuzuka dog and common Aburame bug, they smell different. To the senses of a Ninja such as yourself they appear a different shade in colour."
I squinted at the old man. "I don't have any sensory abilities?"
"Most chakra Absorption ninja develop a sixed sense in identifying large sources of chakra, it is understood that this sense come from their regular immersion in other people's physical and spiritual energies." My ears perked alarmed by Kosuke's words, it sounded great but yet at the same time it felt like he was accusing me of a crime. "When absorbing the chakra of another ninja, your own chakra changes as their unfamiliar chakra mixes with yours; temporarily creating a hybrid combination of the patterns, colours, feel, sound and scent of your chakra. This will come in very handy for you in the field if ever you are being tracked by Shinobi, when you absorb another ninja's chakra you will essentially change your chakra identity. Still this would not fool a skilled trackers unit, who will quickly adapt to your altered chakra signal."
"Ninja chop sticks!" I shrilled with elation "Tell me more!"
"Hm hm hm" Maruboshi laughed and I leaned in eager to learn more about how great my abilities are. "I feel we have rested enough and it's time to continue with our training."
I beamed at the singular fact that he said 'our' training; I felt a part of something… I felt like he and I were family now, and I welcomed the comfort in that presence as our atmosphere returned again to training…Our training.
…
This time the task was boldly different from the challenge of Spirit and mind, or as I punned in my head, Bolder-ly different. We walked down to the bottom of Kosuke's home, where Kosuke picked out a bolder for me, right at the bottom at the opening where I met him. Big, heavy and not completely round or smooth.
"Ok…" Kosuke began, the sun had just started its end cycle and was beginning to set. "I want you to push this boulder up the hill to the my fire place. Without using your palms for you will be using your hands to hold the seal of Confrontation (Earth Seal)."
My forehead instantly creased to the point where I could see the bulge of knotted skin between my eyes. I was looking at my own frown. "How do you want me to do this? I could create a leverage system and get it up there by tomorrow."
"No!" I was taken aback by the blunt answer. "The task is simply as I have said it is!" Maruboshi's words were very direct and now I felt the sudden urge to call him sensei, yet rebuke his commands.
"But sensei…"
"Did I hear something?" Sensei Maruboshi seemed infuriated by my hesitation and I feared I might have done something to offend him. The worry began to build in the pause he provided and I sooner found myself at the task rather than saying another word.
The boulder was larger than me, wider and aggressively heavier. I felt like it was slipping back more than I was pushing it forward, but it was going forward I noticed with my eyes bulging both out of effort and surprise. Still, 'it is too much'. I stopped for a moment and felt my knees buckle the instant I took a break.
"Stop! Rest!" Sensei Maruboshi's words came out severe, finding my ears and striking me without any idea of whether it was an order or a reprimand. Panicking I dived into pushing my bolder up the hill, it is better for him to think me disobediently hard working then defiantly lazy.
This torment of my body failing me and my mind panicked to force its labour, it reminded me of my guardians training. Maruboshi was showing his true colours as a Drifter in Mist and Wanderer in Winds.
Huffing and gritting my teeth, I pushed my boulder while foaming at the mouth. I felt the veins and arteries in my body bulged as every measurement of my being gave out its all. It was not enough, my muscles pressed so hard that they felt like steel slowly growing hotter in the forge that was this challenge. The joints of my bones quacking and making my limbs tremble. My sweat dripping from my body in layers, now ceasing as the well ran dry. All of this but the stone was still moving.
"My stone is still moving forward Sensei" I groaned, "The earth is still walking backwards!" and laughed hysterically.
With my body refusing to produce any more sweat, the moisture that still remained on me steamed off like vapour. Holding the Confrontation seal that triggered my internal will of physical energy, I kept pushing even as my body grew hotter. I noticed in my unending exertion, that the heat made the pain in my bare skin burn away. Closing my eyes, listening to the bolder grind closer to victory, I couldn't hear myself think, I couldn't feel anything but the heat of my body. I was numb in the sense that I had become the machine instead of trialling myself against one. My chakra enhanced strength putting each foot ahead of the other. The flow of energy in me waning but the desperation enduring, I could not lose the favour of my sensei.
In spite of all of this, the task was not an accomplishable feat. I felt my base energy drop and the world around me suddenly become heavy as if gravity had abruptly doubled. "I cannot lose this." I told myself but my efforts to reawaken my body suffered me to fall under the weight of the Earth's atmosphere. Still, I kept my hands fastened together, bonded in my confrontation seal; forcing my mind to confront the boulder as my enemy. "Move!" I shouted at the chunk of Earth, "Get out of my way!" my voice shock but it shook with an anger, a driving force to break my will onto the world. Using my seal as a weapon I struck the rock with both hands and it moved, the effort not as harsh on my weakened body as pushing was. I struck again, "You will bend to my will" I stuck the rock again, moving it slightly. The earth skidding under its mass, the line drawn on the ground from where I had taken it "Move! Break from my path." The heat now transferred to my face as anger gripped my tongue and my stamina now transformed into hatred! "I will push you to the top of this hill, you will not defeat me!" I gritted my teeth, but it was a new expression, not exertion but fuelled by emotion.
"That is enough Argies!" I heard Kosuke's words like a bell ringing out in the night.
I pull out my head from behind the rock, the world returning again to my vision, blinking the amounting sounds and environment around me changed. It was suddenly dark, the night cold and the crack of the fire ahead of me told of my victory.
"What is…" I felt the cool winds and whispers of night birds and insect calls, spin around me and the world grow large in my sight.
…
"Hmm" I looked up at the inviting smile, his wrinkles told of a man who enjoyed his happiness. "Good to see you did not suffer damage through the trails" His words left his lips like smoke warning of a fire.
"I feel light headed" I got up slowly, a blanket was around my body which felt unusual cold. "I still feel light headed" I said expecting the feeling to pass on getting up.
"Hm hm hm" That eccentric laughter of the old man, a closed mouth laughing through the throat. "You take your orders well, I would have expected you to give up and come again another day."
"Well… " I looked at the fire pit, the flames were down and now the coals sat chided into red embers. "That's what you get when you take on an Ages as a student, my guardians accepted no failures" I hummed, trying to remove the buzzing in my head and a thought occurred to me. "It could also be my bloods' ability to hold more than what is expected of them, it could be I have more endurance than the normal human."
"hmm" Kosuke said nothing, it was a wise decision. I don't know why I referred to my blood like it was a person, 'them' instead of it.
"Well then, I should return home" I stumbled to my feet but then the dizziness overcame me and I found myself seated and my vision black.
"It is no trouble, please stay… you can leave in the morning when it's light enough for you to stumble your way home." I smirked to that image and the wrinkles around the smile in his eyes.
"Ha, you make me sound like a drunkard"
…
"His not at home?" Shizune bit her lip and held her clip board closer to herself. "I wonder if this confirms Hatari's suspicions… I better report this to the Hokage."
…