I'm not quite sure it had happened, that first time. I focus my chakra and string together the hand seals, the vortex of water growing up around me. With a last hand seal the shark takes shape around the twister, and launches away at the tree. I can see that while the shark holds its shape, the whirlpool inside loses power before it connects. I sigh. I guess it had just been my imagination.
Maybe I need a new way of thinking of this jutsu. In two stages from the inside out hasn't been working- perhaps I could reverse that, and work in one stage. Two is hard enough, especially with completely opposite functions. One flow, branching off- like my veins and arteries. I wipe a wet strand of my hair out of my eyes, and take a deep breath. One flow... the water pops up like a geyser next to me, the outside rippling and twisting for a moment as the inside begins to swirl, and the outer shark freezes in shape. It takes flight, an arc like a heavy arrow, and descends on the tree I targeted. There's a burst of snaps as a branch breaks down, and the trunk sways under the impact. I too sway, weary from the practice of this jutsu. For most of yesterday and all this morning, I've worked on it. But I keep at it- it still has a little ways to go, but I can see from what it did to the tree the damage would be catastrophic against a human target. Given its difficulty without a nearby water source I won't make use of it often, I think, but it will be worth the work.
Though I improve with the speed, the strain on my chakra reserves soon forces me to take a break. The small clearing is littered with puddles of water, and at the side across from me there is a pile of fallen branches and the base of the target tree. It seems this will be all for today. As I gather my breath I remember one of the main reasons I trained so hard with the new jutsu, and frown. I might as well try it out today.
My baby sister Hanabi shoots me a curious and suspicious look as I pass her in the hall on the way to my room. I'm not sure I understand it, as she's read my journal. She probably went through it again while I've been training... maybe someday I'll find out where she hides her stuffed bunny Haruko and take it.
Looking through my closet, I feel tired and simply pick another pair of my usual pants and jacket. That's all he'll see today. Though, now that I'm dressed, I realize that I'll have to find him first. Everybody knows who he is, but I haven't heard of a single person knowing where he lives. At the compound, maybe? He's the one who most seems to defy the rule of ninja not being spirits, but perhaps I'll just be old fashioned and ask a coworker where to find him. The place still gives me the shivers, though. I close my eyes and take a breath, and then get going.
By some massive stroke of luck, or perhaps fate, he's there talking to someone at the front desk when I walk in. He quickly glances at me but continues his conversation. It goes on for a few minutes and some of his coworkers give me bemused looks as they pass by, but I stay calm. I hear him say something like cut his rations in half before he finally turns to me.
It's terrifying, but not because of the watched feeling. "Can I help you with something?"
"Yes," I gulp. "I think you might be able to..." Ibiki doesn't smile, but I get the feeling he's amused...