shadow training (solo)

It has been a few days since passing the Genin exam. Izo has been waking up every morning since at the cracks of dawn in hopes that he could get a leg up on the competition. Excited to get the day started he jumps down from his bed and immediately begins to do his morning workout routine which consisted of push ups and sit-ups and squats. After about 10 minutes of this he would go downstairs to grab something to eat before heading to the training ground to work on his shadow imitation techniques. Before making it to the kitchen Izo is suddenly trapped in his place. Unable to control his movements he begins to dance around the house. “what the hell is going on” he yells out, as he looks up to see that his granny used the shadow imitation techniques on him. And was dying laughing at Izo’s confusion.

Izo visibly upset ask her to teach him to manipulate his shadow as such. To which she responds “I’m busy shopping online but perhaps I can teach you the basics and you can go down to the training grounds and practice “. Izo reluctantly agrees and , granny would give him a tutorial on how to use the shadow imitation technique. Being a proud member of the nara clan, granny was quite adept with manipulating her shadow, even able to move physical objects around with it. She would explain to him the needed amounts of chakra and the basics of how to control the shadow. Granny also showed Izo how to make the rat hand sign. A sign that up until now he had never seen before.
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Now in the kitchen Izo grabs a quick bite to eat, not wanting to catch a cramp while training today. Before he can get to the front door, he is stopped by his granny who with a very serious look on her face, one that he had never seen in his time knowing her. “Remember what I told you. That there is a secret Jutsu, handed down in the nara clan for years. Do you know how we keep it secret? We kill any one caught teaching it to strangers! So be mindful of that boy!!” scared for his life, Izo acknowledges that he had heard her and quickly rushes out the door.

Equipped with the crash course on how to manipulate his shadow, as well as grannies warning , All that was left was for him to go down to the training grounds and practice so that he will become more adept at controlling his shadow

Once he arrives at the training grounds he can see leaf ninja of all different rank scattered about working on different skills and moves. A bit intimidated by the fact that he only knows two jutsus at the moment  and still shaken up by grannies warning, Izo decides it’s probably best if he trains on his own. Seeing a empty area off in the distance and heads in that direction. Izo doesn’t mind using this particular part of the training area as it was a short stones throw from the nara clan forest.

While getting settled in Izo can see off in the distance a new dear from the nara clan forest, “sorry guys I can’t play now got to learn this technique” Izo says with a sadden look on his face as he tightens his leaf headband around his bicep and cleans the sweat from his eyes with the bandana that use to rest around his arm.

“Now time to focus. What was it granny said.. oh that’s right since I’m a nara it only requires one hand sign. I forgot why that is. Oh well no complaints ” says Izo as he starts to practice making the rat sign with his fingers. He scratches his head as he attempts to recall the finger placement for the rat sign. It takes him multiple attempts, but finally after ten minutes, Izo is able to form the rat sign with his fingers.

Izo makes a quick mental note to start spending more  time at nights training hand signs.


With the hand sign now down, Izo moves on to conjuring up the needed level of chakra in order to preform this move. With this being the highest ranked Jutsu that Izo would be using so far, he knew that he would probably need to gather more chakra than the transformation or clone jutsus required.

With that in mind he quickly jogs over to grab a swig of water as it was scorching hot with the sun starting to rise as the time drew closer to midday. Normally Izo would be done with his training by this time of day. However, he knew that the later in the day it got the easier it was to manipulate ones shadow. Surprised that he remembered that much from grannies lecturing.

Setting the water jug back down Izo stretches his arms and legs and gives off a loud yawn that probably could be heard across the training ground. Determined to go home mastering this jutsu, Izo takes in a deep breath of fresh air, closing his eyes while doing so. At that moment he begins to dig down deep inside of him in order to call forth as much chakra as he possibly can, and makes the hand sign rat.

A moment later Izo opens his eyes and focuses his attention at the ground around and beneath his feet. With an ear to ear smile on his face he watches as his shadow starts to move. Ever so slowly at first, just an inch in either direction. Than it started to elongate it’s hands over its head on the ground. Before returning to normal.


At this point he decides 2 practice on a nearby tree. 8 feet in height and 5 inches thick. Thinking that it should be easy to attach his shadow to the shadow of the stationary tree.

Izo closes his eyes n begins Gathering up his chakra. After making his hand signs he open his eyes and watches as his shadow begins to dance around him before again,  returning back to normal.

Upset that he was unable to attach the shadows  on the first try he begin again. This time more determined than ever. Clinching his teeth, Izo motions the rat hand sign and looks to the ground under him. This time, he watches as his shadow flickers back and forth before protracting into a ball under him, than extend out from underneath him. his shadow extends to half a foot in front of him. Excited by this small amount of progress he again repeat the process this time Gathering more chakra. It takes him another 45 minutes before he is able to extend his shadow the full 7 feet that the tree stood in front of him.

Extremely exhausted Izo decides to take a 15 minute water break, during which he grabs a bite to eat. Now full and hydrated he is ready to get back to work. .

Izo realizing that no shinobi in their right mind would stand still and allow themselves to be caught like the tree, decides that he needs a way to practice on moving targets. He does not want to disturb the other leaf ninja currently in the training ground. So je decides he would play a spirited game of tag with one of the deer from his clans Forest. Seeing that one of the deer has crossed into the training ground Izo decides it’s now or never.

Izo quickly hides himself behind a tree 30 feet to the left of the deer. The deer is unaware of the young ninja. He knows that he must get closer in order for the shadows to attach, but how with out the deer quickly noticing and running off? Izo begins to tip toe in the direction the deer is in, praying it is paying more attention to its stomach then its surroundings. Izo is now ten feet away from the deer, he can see its beautiful antlers, still small in comparison to the other deer of the forest. Sure that this is close enough, Izo settles his feet under him and grasps his hands. Closing his eyes and gathering his chakra Izo preforms the rat sign. At the same time from under his body a slim black narrow shadow begins to creep ever so slowly across the ground towards the deer who is 10 feet away from Izo. Still unaware that the young ninja is so close the deer continues to graze at the land Under his feet. At the last second the deer turns around to get better access to the grass that it was nibbling on, when it notices Izo’s dark shadow heading it’s way. Afraid of this unknown black object moving across the ground the way a snake slithers towards its pray, the deer begins to run away.

Knowing that his shadow imitation technique is only good out to 15 feet, Izo begins to give chase to the deer. Izo would stop every few seconds in order to recast the jutsu. Izo’s shadow would never be able to catch up to the deer. However every time he recast his technique, his shadow would move across the ground a bit faster. Finally, after spending more effort then both wanted, the deer wins the foot race and is back in the nara clan forest before Izo gets a chance at attaching his shadow.


Now winded from chasing after the deer, Izo takes a seat under a nearby tree for sum much needed shade from the scorching sun. “don’t call this fore country for nothing” Izo thinks to himself aloud. Izo glances in the direction the deer ran off and can see what looks like the deer celebrating its victory over the young shinobi in their game of tag.

Izo however, does not get the chance to fully analyze what he is seeing. Near exhausted, Izo does not notice the figure creeping up behind him. Suddenly, while busy staring at the deer, out of nowhere Izo is stuck hard over the head by his granny. “you fool why would you give that deer such a scare!”.

Izo now had a quizzical look on is face as he scratches his head curiously wondering how the old lady could have gotten. The sneak on him. Still scratching the sore spot on his head he shouts “ why would you do such a thing, I’m only trying to work on this technique you refuse to help me with!!”.

An old grin begins to appear on granny’s face. “well, show me what you’ve learned so far”. As she perhaps herself, spreading  her feet and readying her hands as best her old body can.

Izo, still upset with her for striking him, and not wanting to be up staged by his grand mother, closes the distance on the old ninja to 8 feet. Readying his hands he quickly cast the shadow imitation jutsu, nearly catching the old lady off guard. However, knowing the shadow imitation technique only has a max distance of 15 feet granny easily retreats to just out of the shadows reach..

Now bent over in laughter, granny does not notice Izo as he recast the shadow imitation, this time using the shadow of the near by tree to help him to extend his own the extra feet he needs.

Not expecting Izo’s attack granny is now fully trapped in his imitation. Izo is filled with excitement as he sees his old granny jumping up and down with joy, matching his jump up and down movements. Her face showing visible signs of frustration.  

Izo calls back his shadow, now feeling remorse and Not wanting to upset his grandmother; seeing that she’s quite upset with herself for allowing her grandson to catch her. Once released, she gives Izo a quick congratulations before heading off in the direction of the village gate.


“Granny always was a sore loser” Izo thinks to himself before returning to his seat under the tree Izo scans the forest line for the short antler deer. Not able to find the deer, Izo decides to call it a day.  Gathering up his things in his backpack Izo gets up from his seat and begins to make his journey back across the training grounds past all the other ninja. But before he leaves Izo turns back in the direction he last saw the deer, and waving his left fist in the air he vows to someday catch that deer’s shadow.

(Exit)

WC 2,105
Claiming: shadow imitation technique and 10 stats.