Careful where you step [Tutor]

[Uchiha Asuka]

New students were coming through every day, she knew that nurturing them would be the way to go. Helping students means that in the long run they will not only grow stronger but will have a sense of loyalty to the village that mentored them into what they will become. She wanted that feeling of loyalty to come naturally, to have them realize what great feeling it was to become a shinobi and protect the people that made the village run as smoothly as it did. That's one of her life mottos.

To her Shinobi were supposed to protect those who couldn't protect themselves, make sure no one was left alone. She had trouble bringing that type of thinking since they were a military village but thankfully their Hokage was understanding on the methods she took to bring that kind of thought process. First and foremost, stop treating children as cadet's and more like what they were, children. In any case it wouldn't be long until the newest student would come for a tutor.

Like with everything she would refrain from telling the person who she actually was, that way she would see a more genuine side of the student instead of them looking up to a leader. Just talk with them, respect them, correct the wrongs and show them what was right and this type of lessons were the start of it all. Today would be a chakra control lesson.

She had sent summons to the academy for the student to present himself at the base of the Hokage Rock, there he would start his lessons. Asuka would be sitting on top of her scythe drinking a simple cup of tea.


[Note= You have to have 1,500 words over 5 posts. Meaning an average of 300 words per post. You can have 200 words in one post and 400 on the next but your first 5 posts have to add up to 1,500 otherwise you fail.]

[WC/TWC=325/325]

 

[Hiyasu Shiori]

Shiori wandered through the town, note crumpled in his hands. His freshly pressed clothes were in stark contrast to how he felt.

Suo's had been closed when he had made his slow way into town, his first stop, his second home. The great restaurant lay dark, boarded up, a simple sign scrawled on the wood:

"Out for lunch"

That had taken the wind out of Shiori's sails. The idea of he and his friends all cooking together had buoyed his spirits and kept him going on the long walk back from the coast. Being so close to death out there on the waves… it was all he could cling onto. But they were gone, Suo, his family, Megumareta. All gone, and no one knew where. It had just happened one day, apparently.

So Shiori set himself a new mission: find his friend.

In order to do that, he would need to be able to leave the village, and out there, in the world, there were dangers. Dangers he, a boy of just 14, could not overcome. Not yet, anyway. So, his mission became larger: train, become strong, and go find his friend. He rubbed his ring absentmindedly.

He had been close to graduating from the academy when he had gone sailing, so he thought he could just throw himself back in. He knew fully well he would be unable to just turn up and apply for his exam. He needed to immerse himself back into the ways of Konohagakure. Of training and strengthening. For that, he needed a tutor.

He had gone straight from Suo's to the academy, and posted a request for a tutor. He had been so dehydrated, starved, and generally battered by the storm that his abilities were harder to control and draw from. A tutor should help him reaffirm his control, his first step on the path to finding Megu.

He had found the note in one of the workrooms set aside for tutoring, requesting his presence out at the Hokage rock. He and Megu had often put their small stand here, serving food to tourists for a heinous mark up, competing with the other stands to make the most money off people who knew no better. Returning had a bittersweet feeling to it: He had such good memories, but they were tainted by loss.

As he closed in on the site, he saw a woman sitting atop a scythe drinking tea. Everyone else was normally dressed, going about their business. There was always an advantage to being a member of the Shinobi: One was always easily identifiable. He made a beeline for the white-haired woman, bowing his head slightly as he stopped.

“Hiyasu Shiori. I got your note in the academy. Thank you for accepting me for a tutorial.” He looked up at her as he finished. He had kept his tone as formal as possible, remembering his time at the academy well. It had paid to be studious and respectful then, he wasn’t about to mess it up now and throw his mission off it’s path.

[512/1500]

 

[Uchiha Asuka]

Asuka looked up from her cup of tea and saw Shiori walking towards her. Well, this was certainly interesting. He wasn't at all what she was expecting, his speech was respectful to say the least but there was something else... for a student he had good eye sight going straight for her without looking at anyone else. At least he had good instincts which was a good thing in this line of work. But it still had to be seen how much potential he had.

To explain, potential didn't necessarily mean talent. It meant the capacity of someone to improve upon themselves, most gave up after trying a couple of times which is why the graduation percentage was so low. She looked for those who aspired to be better, who wanted to follow a shinobi way that would help the village grow. If that wasn't they case they would either give up or... well... they usually gave up.

"Helllooooo!" She smiled waving at the boy. "Nice to meet you Shiori!" She spoke moving her hand inside of her Kimono's sleeve, looking for something. As if magic she took it out with a fresh cup of tea. Offering it to him. "Want some tea?" Whether he accepted or not it didn't matter. Now was the time for action.

"So! Let's get straight to it." Asuka spoke jumping from her scythe, making sure not even a single drop of her tea spilled. She turned towards the Hokage rock and pointed to the top. "Concentrate your chakra to your feet, the amount can't be told but has to be felt. If you place to little chakra you'll slip and fall, too much and you'll break the stone and be pushed away from it." She moved forward, placing one feet upon the stone and started walking up. Trying to give a demonstration. "While doing this, feel free to ask any questions about the exercise or anything in general."

[Post 2/5]
[WC/TWC=324/649]

 

[Hiyasu Shiori]

A pleasant response was a pleasant surprise to the boy. He had expected more formality, more coldness. Part of him hoped for it, the desire for structures and limits in the aftermath of his uncertainty. But a positive interaction was always appreciated.

From nowhere, tea was produced and thrust towards him. Shiori was never much of a tea drinker, but appreciated the offer. He sipped the drink. No, it still wasn't for him. He looked about himself, but there was no easy resting spot. He crouched down, placing the cup on the floor.

He looked up at the indicated summit of the great cliff face, the visages of the great village leaders jutting forward and out into the air, memorialised forever. These shinobi were truly immortal: their presence overseeing the whole village dared you to try and forget them, shouting their presence through every aspect of village life. They could be seen from almost any point of the village.

As instructed, Shiori focussed his chakra in his feet, taking time to do so. His tutor had already started up the cliff without him. Well, he didn't want to let her down.

Shiori placed a foot on the rock, and it held. He pushed up, allowing his other foot to gain purchase. His stomach turned as he did so.

The sudden motion brought the boy's mind back to the boat, being tossed about carelessly by the storm, his life reliant on caulked wood and strapping holding against all the wrath of nature. As the image played through his mind, he panicked. With his panic, he lost control, chakra pushing him off the wall and leaving filaments of cracks in the rock face. He tumbled back to the ground.

As he winced, he let out a hiss of frustration. He had been able to do this with ease before his voyage! He had been able to unleash some of the most powerful jutsu of his bloodline, bend reality to his will. Now he couldn't manage the simplest expression of chakra control without panicking. He was a disgrace, a failure.

Winded, he pushed himself back up from the ground, focussing again. He breathed deeply, rhythmically, calming himself. He felt the chakra focus in his feet, and stepped up again, this time focussing on calming and keeping himself centred as he took first one shaky step, then another. He smiled as he did so, rising slowly to stand aside his tutor.

"Thank you for waiting. It seems my skills have gotten rusty."

[928/1500]