Training (Private, No-Kill)

Haru awoke in his unusually dark room. He looked around, unable to see anything.
"Crap, Timber! Hit the lights!" He yelled at his dog, rudely awakening him. Reluctantly, Timber jumped down from the foot of the bed and flicked the switch with his paw, a trick that the sleep loving Haru had taught him. "Timber, I said hit the lights!" He yelled again, causing the dog to yip, confused. Then slowly, Haru came back to reality, and realized that he had his headband over his eyes. Embarrassed, Haru quickly apologized to his dog, and checked his clock.
"Shit!" He shouted, realizing that he'd slept until 12:30, Half an hour before he was supposed to meet his Jounin friend, Shinji Uzumaki, at the training towers. He hurriedly slipped his clothes on, threw his bag over his shoulder, and ran out the door. He dashed down the hallway, being blocked by his sister who came out of her room sleepily. Deftly, Haru twisted to avoid colliding with her, yelling "Sorry!" over his shoulder. As he entered the living room, his grandfather was sitting on the couch.
"Going somewhere?" He asked.
"Training towers." Said Haru without further explanation. He Ran through the door to the Lobby of their floor. He stopped at the elevator and pushed the button.
"Elevator's out of order, sweetie." Said the receptionist, not looking up from her magazine. Haru sighed, Dashing across the lobby. He'd just have to take the stairs down to the bridge level.... Which was about 30 floors down... At least he wouldn't have to do his warm ups before training. He started down the stairwell, leaping over every flight of stairs, until he realized he'd missed his floor by a few sets of stairs. Grumbling, He headed back up the stairs, finally reaching his floor. When he reached the bridge, he was angered to find that they were painting the interior of the bridge...right now. He sighed and headed to a window, making sure he was out of sight, opened it, and climbed out. He looked down from the ledge now. He was probably a good three hundred stories up, so falling was not an option. gripping the ledge, he began to climb across until he was directly on top of the bridge. He ran across the roof, resisting the strong winds attempting to push him off of the narrow roof he was standing on. Finally, he made it to the other end, slipping in through a window, and checking his watch. He had ten minutes to get to the tower. He dashed for the elevator, which thankfully was working, AND vacant, the way he liked it, and punched a button. He slumped down to the floor, out of breath, and in disbelief that his morning could have gone this badly. Finally, the elevator hit his floor, and he stepped out, having caught his breath, and made his way to the room they would be meeting in. Haru slipped into the room, Closing it behind him, and dropping his bag to the floor. He looked around the room now, which was lined with training equipment on one wall, the rest of the room being occupied by the arena space, expecting to see Shinji. Surprised that he wasn't there yet, He activated his Byakugan, Sure that he was being messed with. After searching the room and finding nothing, He checked his watch.
"Shit!" He said. He was an hour early. He hadn't noticed that his alarm clock was off, so when he looked at his watch earlier, he only looked at the minute hand. He slumped down in a chair angrily. There was no way he would go back and risk repeating that catastrophe of a morning, so he decided just to take a nap here until his training partner arrived. closing his eyes, he instantly drifted off into sleep.

(Word Count: 646 Total)

Shinji sat at his desk feeling much like a zombie. It had been a long night and he had nothing to show for it. Taking out his chakra resonator, that also acted as a clock, he checked the time, alas it was indeed morning. He half considered heading back to bed, but a large messily scrawled note on his desk dashed that thought from his brain. The note was that he had written to himself a while back simply read: "Tuesday-Training-Do not go back to bed you idiot!" Shinji sighed it seemed that he had predicted his lack of sleep and written the note such that he would force himself to get going. And force himself he did. Clamoring out of his chair he pulled on his trademark lab coat and walked into the bathroom. Glancing in the mirror he noticed he had small, hardly noticeable, bags under his eyes. Being too tired top really care about his appearance he splashed some water on his face and went on his way.

Stopping by his room he picked up all his gear and made his bed. Running downstairs he made a quick breakfast of bacon and eggs, which he promptly gulped down in fairly short order. He then left his house making sure to lock the door behind him: both his surrogate parents were already off at their respective jobs. Stepping into the streets, and in doing so the seemingly endless mob of people, Shinji made his way to the training towers. He recalled that he was to meet one named Haru and help him train a bit. Apparently the boy was a academy student, however he was a Hygua, so that would mean that he no doubt had some innate skill. Thinking on his academy student time he recalled how the Hygua had always been the top of class. Their affinity for learning and bloodline allowed them to be top of class. In his days as an academy student Shinji had been less than stellar, but he was now a jounin and he felt that he would be more than capable of teaching Haru a few things even if he was from that clan of geniuses.

After about twenty minutes of walking through the bustling crowd Shinji had arrived at the training tower. Checking with the jounin who supervised the tower. Shinji found that Haru had arrived at the tower about an hour early and was now at the top of the tower in one of the training rooms. Not really wanting to keep the boy waiting Shinji thanked the jounin there and went to the elevator. Taking the elevator to the top floor Shinji could hear the various noises of training occurring all around him-it was a truly wondrous sound. Arriving on the correct floor SHinji stepped out and walked to the room he was supposed to meet in.

As he rounded the corner what he saw was a bit surprising. A boy, who Shinji assumed was Haru, was sleeping on the ground. This made Shinji want to sleep all the more, but he felt obligated to get Haru up and start training. Walking soundlessly across the room Shinji would come up behind Haru. He would then attempt to give him a gentle kick with his right foot. It would not hurt him, but hopefully it would wake him up. Assuming Haru awoke Shinji would greet him with a rather sleepy: "Yo, are you ready to get to training?"

{WC: 580}

Haru coughed, then rubbed his eyes sleepily, waking up right away, though not very enthusiastically. (His morning had been horrible.)
"Yeah." He croaked, sitting up. "Sorry, My clock was off, and I got here a little early...." He said, scratching the back of his head. "Anyway, thanks for helping me out, I've been having a lot of trouble with the more... Physical side of my training..." he explained, putting it a little lightly. As hard as he tried to improve, it seemed that only his mind was progressing, not his body. This had been a constant problem for him growing up, because while he loved hands on work, he never seemed up for the tasks they'd given him in the academy. "Anyways, I'm guessing you could help me out with that." He said simply, getting to his feet. He was very exited to have a Jounin, An elite ninja, training with him. "Alright, should I put my training weights on?" He asked, Stooping over to grab them from his bag, regardless of what Shinji said. The way he figured it, anything you could do to train, you could do in weights to train a little harder. His family had beaten that into him when trying to get his physical growth to match his mental growth. He pulled the weights from his bag, slipping them quickly onto his arms and legs, before turning to face his mentor. "So what're we doing? I haven't really trained with someone else in a while... unless you count my dog..." He said, with an air of sadness in his voice. He had trouble making friends, mostly for his lack of trying, but it mostly meant he trained on his own. This was kind of a family tradition with the Hyugas, at least, that's what his grandfather told him. There was always the "Runt" of the family. Of course, his grandfather had been the same way, so the words were meant to be helpful, not hurtful. As he listened to Shinji speak (Assuming he does), he shifted on his feet slightly, waiting to hear what they would be doing for training.

(Word count: 355)
(Total word count: 1001) <--- I'm Just gonna make it easier for myself and keep track so I don't have to add it up at the end...

Approved

Shinji could not help the short laugh that escaped his mouth at the first part of Haru's short speech-it seemed they had both had bad mornings. Shinji merely nodded once and allowed Haru to continue on. In fact, if Haru looked close enough at Shinji's face he would see the tell tale signs of lack of sleep. What Haru said next was rather shocking: a Hyuga who did not have a physical prowess was unheard of. Though Shinji did not allow the shock to show on his sleep etched face. He recalled the last person he had sparred with had been quite good at the physical side of attacks or rather with a sword, which was pretty much the same thing. Racking his brain Shinji remembered how the Hyuga were famed for their use of the gentle fist technique. However he doubted that a mere genin would be able to use those types of techniques. Then again stranger things had happened, so Shinji made no assumptions.

Shinji vaguely heard something about training weights and nodded once again. It was getting hard to concentrate with the lack of sleep. The whole world was spinning a bit. And he could feel himself getting a slight bit of tunnel vision. Trying not to show his state Shinji allowed Haru to continue. After a bit he heard Haru ask a definite question: how would they be training? Which honestly was great question, because at that exact moment Shinji could not think. Stalling a bit for time Shinji started talking in a slow steady tone that bordered on meandering: "Well...seeing as you need to work on your physical attacks and connecting your mind with your body...." In an instant Shinji's sleep depraved mind clicked: "...Why don't you show me what you are made of? Do not worry I will use no jutsu it can be a strictly Taijutsu match if you wish. This will allow me to gauge where you are and give you some tips...Oh and feel free to use your doujutsu if you see fit."

He did not expect Haru to be much of a challenge, even with the Bykugan, but it would be a good learning experience for them both. Shinji himself was not too good at Taijutsu and it would be good practice. Naturally he would not instantly crush the boy or it would be boring and pointless for both of them. All that remained was for Haru to come at Shinji. Shinji stood five meters from Haru. While waiting for Haru's response Shinji would assume an stance such that his open palms would be facing Haru. This stance would allow him to easily shift Haru's momentum past him should he need to. All that remained was for Haru to attack, assuming he chose to continue with a spar as Shinji had suggested.

{TWC: 1054}

Haru cocked his head slightly as he noticed how tired Shinji was. He decided not to bring it up, knowing it was even harder to stay awake if you were reminded you were tired. He ignored the fact that Shinji laughed at him, realizing that it was actually a pretty funny story. He shifted his weight, wondering what the Jounin was thinking. He scratched his head uncertainly as he noticed he didn't act surprised when he said he wasn't very good at physical arts. Usually, he got called out on that a lot, so it was refreshing to find someone who didn't seem to care. While it was true he was a Hyuuga, he had not yet mastered the gentle fist art, he simply wasn't good at it. He made up for this with his Byakugan, which was nothing less then extraordinary, even for a Hyuuga.

"Sounds...Sounds good." Said Haru, stuttering slightly as Shinji suggested they spar. He had no doubt the Jounin would go easy on him, but that didn't make him feel any less nervous. He knew he wasn't very good at Tiajutsu in general, and he thought of how embarrassing it would be, If he lost as fast as he thought he would. Pushing the thought from his head, he got ready for the spar, kicking off his shoes to fight barefoot, which was a trick his grandfather had taught him to assist chakra control, allowing a direct line to the earth, instead of having to travel through his shoes. When shinji said he could use his Dojutsu, Haru grinned widely. If nothing else, he took pride in his Byakugan, which had become his signature art during his training.

Haru took his place on the mat, assuming a position similar to the Gentle fist stance, Feet spread out, and arms outstretched. Even though he didn't know how to actually use the technique, he still liked using the stance, partly because it was a neat trick to play on someone, and made them more wary about fighting up close, and partly because that was the stance he always used for fighting. Smirking, he activated the Byakugan, his eyes becoming tense and focused as he planned his attack. He dashed at Shinji suddenly, targeting a pressure point on his right shoulder with a quick strike, preparing to twist away if he struck back.

(Total wc: 1395)

(Can I use this thread to change my spec, once I hit 3000 words?)

Shinji's eyes remained on the genin as he stuttered understandably. What genin in their right mind would not feel uncomfortable fighting a jounin? He watched with further interest as the boy took off his shoes-an odd quirk to say the least, but not one Shinji would hold against him after all it could be worse. Shortly there after he observed how veins poped out around Haru's eyes-a tell tale sign of the Byakugan. Maybe this fight would be interesting after all. The Byakugan if Shinji remembered correctly was one of the key elements of the Hygua fighting style and one which Shinji would love to see in action. Plus it would give him time to see what the true capabilities were of this legendary doujutsu. A small almost indiscernible smile spread across Shinji's face as he saw Haru take up what looked like a fighting stance. If this boy did indeed know the gentle fist as the stance suggested then the fight would get even more interesting-Shinji had combated a Hygua before as a genin during training and knew it would be must unwise to be hit by even one of his attacks, which could leave him rather crippled for a while.

All at once the observations were over and Haru charged at Shinji. To Shinji the boy seemed to be moving in slow motion. It would have been easy to simple dodge the attack with his full speed, but what fun would that be? Shinji waited until Haru was about half a meter away from him to sidestep to the left with half his speed. To follow up this sidestep Shinji would shoot out his left leg in front of Haru in an attempt to close line him on the leg. This attack would be no means hurt the boy. However if he did run into it he would probably be knocked over it and onto the hard mat. The boy would have to act fast-luckily for Haru SHinji had left about three and a half feet below his leg that could easily be slid under if Haru had the reaction time and skill. Then again Shinji remained vigilant as anything could happen-even with a genin. That was a lesson he had learned in his last spar that had ended in a near stalemate of sorts.

{TWC:1441}
(And yes you may do that.)

Haru was starting to feel more confident as he closed in on Shinji, it seemed like he wasn't even going to dodge! It was as if time froze for a moment, as Haru watched Shinji dodge to the side, then put his leg out to trip him. Luckily, the Byakugan sees all, and he'd noticed he muscles tighten as he prepared to move. Still, for a moment, Haru was oblivious to the move for several moments. Finally realizing he was in danger, Haru rolled, trying to fight his original momentum from his initial charge, going right under his leg, and saving Haru by a split second. But something was wrong, that felt too easy to Haru. Obviously Shinji had meant to do that, but whether it was to make the fight easier, or to execute a plan, Haru didn't know. Feeling he'd made a mistake, Haru attempted to sweep his leg at Shinji, which would trip him if used correctly. Either way, Haru would use the momentum of the leg sweep to regain his footing, resuming his gentle fist stance ready to fend off an attack.

He was defiantly going easy on him, Haru had no doubt about that, but he felt slightly more confident about the fight. He knew that the Jounin could crush him in an instant if he wanted to, but at the present, this fight would at least be dragged out. At the same time, Haru felt naked without his Jutsu, which were normally the main tools he used in any type of fight. Subconsciously, Haru started forming hand signs for a clone jutsu, before remembering the fight was Tiajutsu only. He quickly dispersed the energy from said jutsu, readying himself for the strike that was sure to come. Once again he scanned his enemy with the Byakugan. He had quite a bit more chakra then him, obviously, since he outranked him by quite a bit, but it still made him uneasy.

(Wc:1721)
(Sorry if it's short, I used my phone to do it.)

The genin was indeed good. Or rather Shinji thought that he could use his Byakugan to an extent that had allowed him to dodge the quick switch Shinji had made. He doubted that a regular genin could have had the foresight to pull the move Haru did. Haru had rolled under Shinji's outstretched leg. However that was not all. Upon getting out from under Shinji's leg he performed a leg sweep aimed at Shinji's only leg that now stood on the ground-his right leg. Normally Shinji would have been a bit worried about his position, but as it were he had a plan and a half way decent one at that. The way he was standing made it impossible to dive away from the kick without falling in a rather embarrassing way. So, instead Shinji opted to wait till Haru's leg was close and hop right over it with a brief flex of his right leg. The small hop would just clear over Haru's leg. However Shinji did feel the slight gust of wind behind the kick flow beneath him-it had been very close. In fact, had he been any slower he probably would not have had the ability to dodge it.

Haru did not stop there as Shinji observed he used his momentum to spin upwards into a standing position. Shinji took the brief moment in time that Haru's flourish took to square off against the Hyuga, so that they each were facing each other. There was now roughly two and a half meter between the two shinobi. Shinji gave little time for Haru to recover from his move-waiting too long was always a diaster waiting to happen. So, while Haru was making hand signs of sorts, Shinji shot towards him with all his speed. However he came to a stop right in front of him-about a foot away. It was then that Shinji made his move. He made to punch Haru with his left hand. The punch was aimed right for Haru's right shoulder. The punch moved at about a quarter (20 speed) of Shinji's real speed. It would be easily dodgeable or blockable for that matter and if it did hit it would not really hurt Haru much at all. However hitting Haru was not the real aim. While punching with his left hand Shinji stepped into Haru with his right foot. He would attempt to place his right foot behind Haru's left foot. While doing this Shinji would hold his right hand level with Haru's left one, so as to catch any counter Haru could try with that hand. Were Shinji's plan to work perfectly Haru would dodge the fist, and the advancing Shinji, by stepping back, which would send Haru sprawling over and onto the ground after having tripped over Shinji foot. However that was only if Haru did that. The outcome would truly depend on Haru's movements. Anything was still possible seeing as Haru had that Byakugan that seemed to be able to see everywhere. This attack would test to see if Haru was able to concentrate on what was going on around him in more than one place at about the same time. That skill was indeed an important one, because as shinobi people lived and died in moments like these. However this was a spar, so no one would be dying or be seriously hurt for that matter.

{TWC: 1977}
(Thats actually an impressive amount to write on a phone lol)

Haru felt a pang of disappointment surge through him as Shinji hopped over his swift kick, seemingly without effort, but he knew this wouldn't be easy. He pushed the disappointment from his mind. He WAS fighting an elite ninja, after all, and he'd have to try a lot harder to land a strike on him. As they squared off once more, he felt adrenaline surging through him. His eyes were beginning to feel strained, but he ignored it. That happened to him a lot, when he used the Byakugan for too long, or focused too hard while using it. Still, he found the pain irritating. Sighing, He finally caved and rubbed his eyes, before quickly realizing it was giving Shinji an opening, and quickly reset his guard, raising his hands in front of his body in the gentle fist stance. He felt confident he could take what ever was thrown at him.

He wondered if he'd even manage to land a single strike on him, before he realized Shinji had shot at him, a lot faster then he had been previously. As Shinji, sent another punch his way, Haru was already rearing back to dodge, as he noticed his opponent's foot slipping behind his own foot. Haru was immediately impressed by the forethought that had gone into that move, which, either way, would end with him taking a blow if he played by the rules. Of course, Haru never played fair. Thinking as fast as he could, he planned his next move. Smirking, Haru would use the momentum he'd already gathered from preparing his dodge to launch into a full backflip. If he managed to stick the landing, he'd lunge at him, sending a swift kick at a pressure point at his left knee, which would actually hurt a lot if he managed to score a hit. He was counting on that, because he knew Shinji would HAVE to dodge it. At the same time, he would strike at his temple with his right hand, in the form of a palm. Knowing this attack made him very vulnerable, he prepared himself to recover from a blow. It was a gamble, but he figured the kick would distract him from the punch, mimicking the move Shinji had just used against him, which seemed appropriate to him. Of course, he didn't expect Shinji to fall over in pain from the irony of it.

(WC: 2122)