Learning About Your Mind [Solo]

[Enatsu]

The wind was bitter and chilled inside of the cavern nature spawn inside of the dark earth where Sunagakure had made their home. Hikuidori calmly walked the woods keeping himself on guard in case he was either being spied on or plotted to be attacked. Ever since that incident in the village anything was possible. Petals constantly circled his body in a protective manner to keep him prepared to instantly do damage. You could never be too careful in this world, and especially in a place such as these woods that by fact shouldn't exist. However the power people like Hikuidori and other shinobi, held within them could change that thought. "The power of chakra is a powerful conduit to the elements and energy itself. It allows so many things to transpire in our world and everything still has not been revealed. I don't believe some gods have passed down these powers though, I can't even begin to think I'm one of those religious nuts." Hiku couldn't stand it when people would rather praise some force unknown than to believe in themselves. He believed that sometimes things happened because a person has willed them to. Not because it was fate, or the direction of the gods. It was the person's choice, or so Hiku liked to believe. Even though he felt like this, it seemed as though with every step that he took within these woods made him confront his own beliefs. It was as though he was bound to believe that their energy they could tap into, their chakra was forced from some faceless gods.

As Hiku continued walking he found himself to be slightly tired. Each stepped slugged a little more but he was so lost in thought he never took time to rest. "I think that we're the evolution of the world, and our chakra is a cause of our own spirit. I'm sure there are creatures of the Elements who exist who can control chakra as well. That doesn't mean our world is littered with these abnormally mythical beliefs... But these woods, they came from no where. I can say it's chakra, but does chakra really do this? I wonder what the first men did to make a place like this. I wonder why it's down here and how it could survive under these conditions. Amazing but it's got to be some energy source.." The forest created seemingly out of no where were thought to be remnants of a harmonious relationship between mother earth and the founders themselves, the First Men. Everything about this place screamed out that it was different. There were odd creatures here, and the trees were partly rock. However to Hiku this was even more evidence that their world thrived and changed through the power of chakra. He believed through training his mind and soul he could become stronger. So he travelled these woods and trained using his unique nature oriented ninjutsu and his flower petal taijutsu. His genjutsu had no place here but it did when it came to meditation. However just walking through here was tiring he lost sight of his abilities when he over exerted himself. After training with such a taxing ninjutsu like the wood and flower ones, doing the things he did, and then breaking them back down to the earth to cover his tracks. It was never a good idea to walk and keep a horde of flowers floating around him to protect himself from any unwanted threats.

Hiku continued walking through the forest feeling his footsteps get heavy with each one. The young shinobi eyed a tree, strong and sturdy he thought in his mind as he collapsed onto it. He would slide down the tree and turn his head to the sky to survey the underground sanctuary for nature. It was peaceful, but it would never see it's true beauty beneath these rocks. Will I be the one who will never see true beauty either? Will Suna ever know it's former glory? We are strong but being under ground I believe we've lacked power. The power to stand among the other titans of the Shinobi world. We are truly limited in these underground caverns, I don't see what hope they think we have down here. He would close his eyes and take a moment to drift into the world of sleep and allow himself to drift into a slumber.
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The world around him felt warm. There was a sun and a green pasture littered with lush fruit trees. A clear lake sparkled in front of him and animals were covering the vicinity. Hiku was happy here and his birthday suit wasn't odd in the slightest bit. It was apparent he was in a dream but it felt real to Hiku. He hadn't been topside that much when he did go the Sun was the most amazing thing out there. It was amazing to him, how refreshing those beams could be. The animals here so vibrant and full of color but their eyes were weird, oddly glowing full of energy. It mattered not to Hiku though for he found something here which he could indulge in and enjoy.

Hiku would walk through this forest of lush and beautiful scenery with a horde of animals following him. Each one clearly different in size, shape, type, fur/skin and even gender (of course each one was either male or female sorry folks no mixes on that). Even though they were all so different their eyes all had that ominous glow to them. It didn't bother Hiku, but it was something he noted when observing them. It was truly wonderful here though and as a show of his belief in the fantasy Hiku would grab a fruit and wipe it clean on his bare skin. Before he could attempt to take a bite of it a voice rang through his head blaring "Don't eat that fruit!" He stopped jerking his head to look around. There was no one but him and the animals though. Each animal was attending to themselves playing or grooming, why would they be talking to him? He shrugged it off and took a bite of the round orange fruit. The taste was so explosive it was like sex in his mouth satiating his non existent hunger. As he ate the fruit the world began to lose it's color and it's warmth. The animals began to disappear and Hiku was left in a world of pitch black.

"In this world there is only dark. Everything is so lost, so misplaced so open to chaos. However there are forces of order, but they have been led astray they do not know their way, because they do not know their freedom. What do you know? WHAT could you understand? Your mind is not open it is closed off to the mind of a fool. You are nothing to gawk at, nothing to be proud of you are a disease meant to be cut out from this world. I will erase you all." A blazing emerald flame pierced the darkness creeping around Hiku's body. He gasped reaching for air as the emerald flames wrapped around his neck. Hiku struggled but to no avail these ghastly flames had their grip on them and there was nothing he could do. He still tried never stopping and as he struggled more forcefully a figure began to rise from the emerald flames.

Spoiler

"YOU STILL STRUGGLE MONGREL! YOU WILL LEARN THE ERROR OF YOUR WAYS!" The creature clenched his fists and Hiku began to burn and in his mind his insides were being burned from the inside out.

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As he was being burned his eyes began to open. Hiku's mind had lost itself inside of his memories and his dreams. The djinn a creature bent on destroying their village. Another suspect of myth or chakra? Was that creature power beyond their grasps with limited thinking? Or was it something entirely created? Maybe they were dealing with a Triple S class Ninja at the time and didn't even know it. Not that he knew too many of those kind of shinobi who existed. He looked around surveying the area making sure no one was around.

Was that just a trick it all seemed so real... I wonder if I really am losing my mind. Trying to grasp things too powerful for me... It's so unlike my character I could have sworn I changed. Am I still that impulsive kid who saw every opportunity as a chance to advance? I don't know something just doesn't feel right. Hikuidori would gather himself taking a deep interval of breaths in order build some type of rhythm in himself. When one is faced with a mental crisis it's best to take a few breaths and recover yourself. Remember your training Hiku. Your father trained you overcome these kind of things don't lose sight of yourself. You faced something stronger then you, that's fine, continue training get stronger and break challenges like that so it never happens again. You must push yourself, it would be what your parents wanted for you. Hiku grinned slightly, thinking about his family. He loved his parents they were extremely supportive of him. His father did supported him and kept him on a straight path. They were a happy family, but the rest of his extended family he couldn't say the same for. They seemed to have a chip on their shoulder like they had something lost or something to prove.

He shrugged off of his thoughts of his family and went back to his goal for being in the Elder Woods this evening. "I was here to find peace... and tran... Why am I lying to myself like this? It's not like there's anyone else out here. I know why I came here, I came for power and that's that. I wanted to be stronger and never have to deal with these incidents of weakness again. My village can't be weak, I can't be weak, I have something to prove...." It was there he realized what a hypocrite he was. Hiku had a chip on his shoulder, it was why he didn't train as a shinobi seriously for some years. "I still can't believe they're gone. My parents they were supposed to be here, they were supposed to be here to help me realize my dreams. At least a little longer to keep me on the straight and narrow. I feel like a blundering idiot without dad's guidance. It seemed like everything was simple when they were here but they left me to this shinobi lifestyle promising to write. Yeah they've kept that bargain they still left me for some dreams outside of Sunagakure. Sometimes I think they're cowards running from the underground prison this place has been instead of finding a way to free our village!" His head hung low for a moment as he thought about how quickly he had turned on his parents. They were so good to him but they left and he felt some kind of way about them leaving him. It was like he was alone, but Hiku had to be stronger than that. Mentally he was being weak right now and that was no good for a genjutsu practitioner one needed a clear mind. His mind was anything but clear and he figured now was the best time to get it clear.

The young shinobi would sit down, on the ground in a more open area of the forest. One with many formations and an overlooking view of the abysmal rock pits. He crossed his legs and sat still emptying his mind onto a mental desk. It helped to visualize things in your mind, they became clearer, more define and with anything you could create, you could destroy. Hiku took his time sifting through his dream of the lush forest and the djinn. I clearly was not supposed to eat that fruit. Things went to hell in that heaven like garden until I messed up and consumed the fruit. Who was that voice though? It must have been me right? It wasn't mom or dad definitely didn't feel like them, but it didn't feel like me either. I have to control my power better I don't need to start having a meltdown here it was just a dream. Like the time that creature injured me in the cave, it happened but it passed. I can't let the past keep bogging me down I have to trudge forward. I know that if I believe in my- and before he could finish his statement there was a low humming, like a flute was being played in the distance. Hiku became distracted and then he heard that voice again like a soothing melody.
"Come to the Lake, if you wanna find what you're seeking"

[WC: 2142]