To become one with Earth.. [IO; NK]

Tue Mar 25, 2014 6:54 pm

Hie had made his way out of a heavily occupied area of the training ground. A little bit of exploring and he had found himself a nice section of the village. This place seemed to be empty, just what Hie was looking for. There was a small river flowing from a waterfall and a lot of boulders scattered around the field. Now he could work with this. He jogged over to one of the boulders and stopped, setting his things on the rock. ”I think I might be able to work with this.” Hie was aware that he had the Water element, despite the fact that he had not used a Jutsu utilizing the element. There was, however, another element that he wanted to unlock here today. It was the opposite of Water; it was actually Water’s weakness in the world of shinobi. Earth. If Hie wanted to protect his family, no, his village, he was going to have to begin using Earth techniques. Yes, they were highly defensive anyways. Besides, if he wanted to unlock his clan’s signature element, Wood, then he was going to have to unlock the Earth element first. That’s what he was going to be working on for the entire day! ”Alright, let’s get started!”

The boy walked over to one of the smaller boulders and began feeling it out. This was one of Hie’s little rituals, where he felt out nature itself. It was awfully weird but to him it always aided in training. When he finished feeling the hard texture of the rock itself he grabbed onto his and bent his knees. To become with the Earth meant becoming strong like it! That was his philosophy. ’I’ll do this for grandpa!’ He held on tightly to the grooves in the rock and straightened his legs, standing up with the rock in his hands. Though it was heavy he was able to raise it a bit over his chest. Sweat began forming at his temple as he raised the rock over his head. Such power was being displayed as the boy carried the small boulder, which must have weighed at least one-hundred and fifty pounds at least. ”Haaaah!!” It didn’t end there! Once it was completely over his head he began lowering it and pushing back up. This was his own way of lifting weights; and for a small boy like him this was an accomplishment! Hie lowered and lifted, completing about sixty reps in a timespan of two minutes. Gravity was in no way affecting the boy in a way that he was going to collapse. The boy was strong and determined; his strength would not falter here!

When he reached two-hundred repetitions he had dropped the boulder. His panting was a sign that this was working. But his workout was not yet over! No, he needed something harder to push himself even more. All he could think about was protecting everyone. ”If I am strong I will be able to defeat enemies without taking their lives!” He walked over to a larger rock and clapped his hands, mustering up the power in himself to raise this one. ”Let’s do this!!” Hie grabbed onto the rock and again bent his knees. This one was way harder than the first but it could be done! The boy grinded his teeth together, as he lifted the rock off of the ground. It was amazing how someone as young and small as him could be able to lift this up. Five-hundred pounds of pure stone was being carried straight into the air and before he knew it, it was above his head.

”Haaaaaaaah!!!” Changing up the exercise, he took a step forward while lifting it up and down. With each step he was beginning to pick up speed while doing the repetitions. It reached the point where he was jogging while carrying the large boulder. This was certainly not physically possible for the average human but Hie came from a lineage of shinobi who were able to display remarkable physical feats.
One lap was made around the whole training ground. His body was sweating profusely as he pushed himself harder. Nothing was going to stop him from accomplishing his task. This was simply a prerequisite for him to unlocking the Earth element. Two laps were under his belt as he began running through the training ground, the heavy rock resting on the palm of his hands. ”I…will….not…..give up!!!” His arms were beginning to shake as he completed five laps around the training ground. After completing it he dropped the boulder and fell to his knees, sweat dropping from his forehead. Such tedious training would get the boy some good results.

”Five laps? That’s just not good enough for me. I need to do more. I know I can do more than that. I won’t stop now.” He raised his head and stared at the cascading water. Something about it was so soothing to him and gave him a sudden rush of energy to stand up. That river was looking awfully nice right now. Taking a little dip wouldn’t do him any harm. He could even do the next exercise in the river. The boy walked over to the edge of the flowing water and peered in, seeing his reflection. His reflection did not seem like himself. It was the reflection of an older Hie. Staring at it had put him into a trance-like state as he pondered the appearance of such an image. Why did it appear like this? What did an older version of himself have to do with anything? A good three minutes had passed before he snapped out of it and felt his face. The reflection was of his current self, no longer the older version. ”That was weird..” He then dipped his hand into the water to feel the temperature. It wasn’t too cold but it wasn’t warm either. Up in this terrain nothing was going to be warm so he kind of expected this. Taking a deep breath he removed his shirt and tossed it back, dropping into the cool water.

Tue Mar 25, 2014 7:57 pm

Hie floated beneath the water surface, paddling to keep himself in position. The water’s current was strong but not strong enough to overpower him and drag him off. He could feel the water all around him, and damn it was cold. Upon swimming to the surface he began paddling towards the base of the cascading waterfall, against the current. His body was going to be pushed to the limit today and swimming would take up most of his exercise. ’I’m already getting tired from this. I knew swimming would be a good follow-up.’ Hie continued paddling his heart out, closing the distance between him and the waterfall. It was just so damn tiring, especially after that boulder workout.

Finally reaching the base of the waterfall he grabbed onto one of the rocks at the bottom, pulling himself onto it. The water was now falling onto the boy’s back in place of the rocks. What better way of training? ”This is a good spot to ease my body and mind.” The boy seated himself on the rock, allowing the falling water to drop onto his head and shoulders. He crossed his legs and placed his hands together, closing his eyes. Meditation was key to training because it prepared one’s body and increased both durability and endurance. At least that’s what Hie was told by his grandpa, and grandpa was usually right. He could already feel himself growing relaxed. His thought was cleared with this meditation. Not once did he think of the troubles of the shinobi world and worried himself with protecting those dear to him. Now it was just about getting through this, becoming one with himself before he could move on to others.

Time almost seemingly stopped as he ventured deep into his subconscious. Hie found himself standing in a dark void, his grandfather and uncle standing before him. Their mouths were moving as if they were talking but nothing was coming out. They were mute. ”What are you two trying to tell me? I cannot hear what you’re trying to say grandpa!” Hie ran out to them but they were distancing themselves with each step he took. It was impossible; he couldn’t do it. Then they just vanished. In their stead a small seed remained….A seed that grew into a large tree. Hie couldn’t help but stand there watching in awe as the tree coiled and leaves grew out. Such beauty was taking place before him. ”So….So nice.” Never had he seen something like this. But what did it all mean? There must have been a reason why this image was being projected in his head. The more he thought about it the more he lost focus during meditation and awakened.
”What in the world was that? It was so beautiful.” He smiled thinking about it and then stood up, feeling a bit energized. ”Whatever it was, I hope I see something like that again.” With that said he dove back into the water, returning to his swimming portion of the exercise.

Oh how comfortable he was swimming in the water. Natural pools weren’t only used for training, but they were great places for a getaway when it was needed. Sure it would have been better swimming in a tropical natural pool but this one was fine. He didn’t feel troubled and overwhelmed with the stress that came with managing the shop so it was fine. Hie even almost forgot that he was in the middle of a training session. That’s just how good it was. ”I have the feeling that I was in the middle of something. Oh, that’s right! I should be working my butt off right now!” He chuckled to himself before submerging himself and swimming around underwater. The boy moved along with the flowing water, chasing the school of fish that were moving in the same direction. They were most likely migrating to reproduce in calmer water.

A minute or so had passed before he surfaced again and caught his breath. Those fish had left him in the dust, not like he was certain that those fish were going to be in his grasp. For the moment he’d just tread the water and watch them swim off. ”See you little guys later! Haha.” He paddled to the edge and pulled himself onto the compacted dirt, covering himself with the soil; Nothing better than getting dirty during training. Grandpa wouldn’t ask questions now. ”Okay swimming is done, now what was next?” He tapped his chin, thinking of what to do next. There always was scaling the side of the cliff but that could be done last. It was a shame that he didn’t have any Jutsu to use and train. He could have done that instead. Oh well, for now he’d just practice some combat moves and work on his agility.

Hie jogged over to the scattered boulders and jumped atop one. He began striking the air with some punches repeatedly, transitioning into some kicks. First was the set of punches then came the kicks. It started all over again until he had a rhythm. ”Haaah! Haah!” Hie’s punches and kicks were packed with power. He’d eventually begin incorporating some spins and jumps to the sets. To the watching eye he’d look like someone straight out of a Kung Fu flick; that part where the young grasshopper trains alone to meet the master’s demands. Droplets of water were sent right off of his body with each punch and kick. That rhythm was perfect, that is until he suddenly jumped off and moved in between the boulders. He looked like an animal on the hunt right now. Not one single boulder was touched as he swiftly maneuvered around the boulders, finally rushing towards a small boulder that he picked out and sending a punch right at it. When his knuckle connected with the stone he let out a little cry, pain now rushing throughout his arm. That was stupid of him but it wasn’t done for nothing. A small crack remained on the small boulder. Hie’s strength was already beginning to blossom. For a small child he was strong. ”Aha….Not bad.”

Fri Mar 28, 2014 2:44 pm

Hie stumbled back from the direct hit, blood trickling from his knuckles. He landed on his buttocks and laid back to gather himself. All of this work had finally taken a toll on his body. Maybe it was time to relax before starting the remaining sessions. "I really do wish mother was here. She would have been so proud of me. I'll be sure to visit her in the future and show her how strong I have become." The boy closed his eyes, succumbing to the need of sleep. He wouldn't be able to continue without some rest. It wasn't long until he drifted into deep sleep, regaining some of his energy and stamina.

Thirty minutes later.....

The boy's eyes slowly opened to the rays of the Sun. There was also a weight on his body with some warmth to it. He slowly raised himself to see what it was resting on his torso and couldn't believe what he saw. Animals gathered around him resting as well. The positive aura of the young boy must have attracted the wildlife that make their home in these training grounds. "Wooow." At the sound of his voice they awakened and scurried off, but still remaining nearby. What an experience this was. Did the animals find themselves comfortable around the boy?

As curious as ever, he stood up and placed his hand out, trying to attract the creatures back to him. "Come here little fella!" The small fox-like animal tilted its head and began moving closer to the boy. He smiled, his tactic seemingly working for now. But then something quite funny happened. The little creature turned itself around and swayed its tail back and forth. To Hie it even looked as if it wanted him to play with it. "I see little guy....You want me to catch you huh?" He smiled, "I'm in the middle of training but I can play with your for a little while! Haha." Let the game begin!

Fri Mar 28, 2014 4:16 pm

Catching such a swift-moving animal like this fox would be no simple task. Its size also gave it quite the advantage when slipping through tight spaces between rocks. Hie was well on its tail, however. He moved just as fast and was the closing the gap between the two rather quickly. That was until the fox veered to the right with a quick cut, leaving Hie pausing in his track. "Not bad little guy! You're very fast! With speed like that you can surely escape the sight of any predator you have!" As if the fox had camouflaged itself, it was completely out of sight. With all of these rocks laying around Hie wouldn't be surprised if it was hiding in a crevice. Hie slowly walked around, looking for a potential hiding spot. "Come out little guy.." A sudden noise, like the sound of rock falling, triggered Hie's reflex. He turned in the direction of the sound and saw the creature sneaking off. "Gotcha!" And so a chase ensued once again!

Hie darted in the direction of the small creature, sending it running off. This time he'd stay right on its tail. This fox wasn't going to escape so easily this time! Close enough to its tail, Hie reached out and grabbed onto its tail, pulling himself closer. Smaller than Hie, the fox was pulled off the ground and into the Senju's clutches. The chase was over. "Caught ya little fella! Thought you could outrun a ninja did you?" He smirked and began petting the small fox, his panting able to be heard by anyone in the immediate area.

Fri Mar 28, 2014 5:04 pm

"Okay, I'm going to have to let you go now little fella. I have to return to my training before I begin slacking off. You see, I'm working really hard to becoming a powerful shinobi so I can protect the village and my family. You guys would be protected as well. Now off you go." Hie lowered the fox and watched it walk off. Although it may seem weird, he really did feel like the animals always listened when he spoke to them. They were also the only friends he had in the village ever since he moved in. Not that he couldn't make friends, Hie was truly a friendly person, it was that he didn't have time to go out an enjoy a social life. When he wasn't working at the shop he had to go out and train. There wasn't time to casually lounge around in the village quarters to speak to the other children. There wasn't a day that went by where he didn't think about befriending other children.

Oh well, maybe in the near future he'd make some time for friends. Right now he had to focus on training. He jumped across some of the rocks and landed on the dry dirt, next to the scattered boulders from before. Like before, he'd place his hands on one of them and raise it into the air. This boulder must have been triple his size and over seven-hundred pounds at least. But he was able to carry it into the air! Amazing! The boy's legs were shaking from the strain he was putting ob his body. At any second he could drop the rock, but he was so determined. Dropping it was not an option. If he dropped it then all he was working towards to was for nothing! "HAAAAAH!" With the energy regained he was able to carry it above his head and hold it there. He'd begin lowering it and raising it again, doing those same reps. "One...two...three.....four..."

Fri Mar 28, 2014 6:03 pm

For now the weight of the rock was no problem for the boy. On every scale and in every way, his output was beating the influence of gravity on that rock. Though he trembled from the waist down, he maintained himself and continued to do the repetitions. "Eighty three...eighty four....eighty five!" What a beast this child was. To go back to this difficult workout after running at your limit was truly remarkable. Not every child could do something like this. "One-hundred and three.....one-hundred and four...I can....do more!!" Sweat soon covered the entirety of his body. That shoulder length silk-like hair was drenched. He could feel the burn in his arms and legs. That must have meant that it was actually working! "Ahhhhh! I can feel it! One-hundred and twenty three!"

Blood seeped from the open cuts on his palms. Those sharp grooves and the tough texture of the boulder was doing his hands no good whatsoever. It even began dripping from his hands and onto his shoulders and chest. Hie's arms were beginning to tremble from the exertion of energy; in other words he was already getting gassed out. "I don't think I can carry on anymore. It's just too much for me..." As much as he wanted to reach four-hundred this was beginning to look impossible for the young lad. He had no choice but to drop the boulder onto the ground.

After doing so he leaned forward, placing those bloody hands on his knees. This was his usual stance when catching his breath. "I can't move my arms anymore. They feel like noodles." Sweat trickles dropped from his forehead as he stared at the ground. What more did he have to do? This was already beginning to be too much for the small boy. There were already doubts in his head that he wouldn't be able to grow stronger. That he was simply too weak for this kind of training. "I can't do it...."

Sun Mar 30, 2014 9:50 am

Was this all he could do? Was Hie already done for? If so, how would he ever be able to unlock the Earth element? This wasn't all he had. There must be another way to finish this off; to maybe tap into some hidden power or something. Hie wanted to believe that he had more; he really did! But his body would simply not allow him to continue. "Why am I losing hope?" There was a long period of silence. Hie stood there in deep thought and when he did decide to come back to reality there was something there. A familiar presence, the fox. It stood atop of a rock looking at him with its rather large eyes.

"It's you again. You came back? " That's when he had the sudden realization. Chasing this fox didn't really seem like it was getting anywhere; he was always falling short. But in the end he didn't give up. With perseverance he was able to overcome. That is exactly what he'd do once again! Hie teeth grinded together as he tightly gripped the blue cloth of his pants. "I see now...I must not give up! Thank you my littlr friend!" Once again, the boy had found it in himself to push harder and complete this training!

Sun Mar 30, 2014 11:23 am

"Okay! It's time for me to show everything I've got! If I don't then I'll never be able to protect the village!" There was a brief connection between him and the small fox. Thanks to him, Hie was able to draw some energy from within. His will was fueling him and keeping him standing firmly as he walked over to the scattered boulders, directing his gaze at the one he was previously lifting. "Okay, let's see if I can do this." Hie slowly moved his clenched fist to his waist, beginning to focus any energy he was able to conjure within. For one long minute he stood there staring at the rock, still holding his fist there, ready to unravel his following action.

"Haaa!!!" Hie's fist shot forward like a piston. Pure knuckled connected with the boulder and to his surprise the whole area of impact was heavily cracked! Cracks spread throughout the entire rock and soon after it shattered into small pieces. Hie's fist was still in the same position, blood seeping from the cuts on his hand. Incredible how a small child like him could possess such immense strength. Perhaps it had something to do with his Senju bloodline. Even if it did, he didn't know anything about it. Although he was of the Senju bloodline he wasn't aware of the power that came with being a clansman. "I can't believe I did that. Where did that power come from exactly?" The boy raised his bloody hand up to his face and examined it before wiping the blood onto his pants. That's when it hit him. If he went home like this he'd have to deal with grandpa. "Ah man."

Sun Mar 30, 2014 12:33 pm

What a relief; he was able to find it in himself to carry on with the training. Yeah, he suffered a bit of self damage to his body but he was able to finish what he started. Hie now felt stronger, faster, better overall. Able to break boulders with his sheer force, he was honestly feeling like he was composed of Earth itself. Like his bones were reinforced with the hardest minerals. He could finally return to the shop and take a nice shower. Maybe even catch something to eat you know? But before taking his leave he figured one good dip in the river would refresh him for the trip back home. He walked over to the water and dropped in. Never before had he felt so good! All of the dirt and blood washed right off of his body. When he surfaced he climbed out of the water, now feeling better than ever. "That felt better than ever! Yeah!" The boy walked over to his clothes and gathered them, walking towards the exit. "Thanks a lot little fella! You really did help out, believe it or not! I'll be back to play with you again soon! See ya!" With that said he marched out of the training grounds to return home, a feeling of strong and sturdy rock added to his Chakra.

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[EXIT]

TWC = 4071

Earth element unlocked; 20 SP and 40 JP gained.

Sun Mar 30, 2014 12:41 pm

Approved, I'm coming for you in your next topic XD

To become one with Earth.. [IO; NK]

To become one with Earth.. [IO; NK]

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Re: To become one with Earth.. [IO; NK]

Re: To become one with Earth.. [IO; NK]

Re: To become one with Earth.. [IO; NK]

Re: To become one with Earth.. [IO; NK]

Re: To become one with Earth.. [IO; NK]

Re: To become one with Earth.. [IO; NK]

Re: To become one with Earth.. [IO; NK]

Re: To become one with Earth.. [IO; NK]