Two-for-One Tutoring Special [Private/NK/Hinoki]

Hinoki was pretty sure that his day was going extremely well after he managed to achieve what for him was impossible. Yet, somehow everything caught downhill at an alarming rate. After being saved from who he now was considered his rival. Yes, she did safe his life and practically dragged him a whole mile back to safety; a bitter thought for him but it wouldn’t have overshadowed his achievement. He spent a few hours in bed, still refusing the hand in his clothes for “fancy drapery”; letting go only of his shirt to get it air-dried by the window. Something which did not help him rest any better but Hinoki was a champion at taking naps in any condition possible. Yet, when he awoke from his slumber by a messenger, a more shocking news arrived in form of a letter from his father; Not even bothering to come himself. Putting on his rose tinted glasses, he began reading the letter in one hand and slowly sipping sour medical elixir.

The news was simple; “As you are not even capable enough to train on your own and need to rely on Tsubaki to even make it through a single day of training; I saw to arrange that from now on you shall do all your training with her. Maybe some of her talent will rub off on you and you might actually put that byakugan to good use. And don’t try to lie to my face and tell me that you managed to awaken your own Kekkei Genkai. I know she helped you. Well, Have fun.” The nearly empty porcelain cup he was holding smashed on the ground, spilling its dark contents all over the ground. Thinking he was going to be met with praise, he was instead met with harsh disappointment. “It’s not my fault that she is so nosy” he muttered to himself bitterly. His Father was doing all this to torment him even more for not reaching his grand expectations. He was not sure how but he was now convinced that all of this was part of an elaborate plan by his father and he planned all for this to happen. The crushing feeling that he now had to train with Tsubaki hit like an aftershock. The “have fun”, was an obvious mock to add even more salt to injury as his father would never use such a casual statement. He knew there was no arguing. Well, at least he had the Byakugan now and no one could take that away from him. If only he could remember the proper hand sign.

Hinoki got out of bed, leaving a damp imprint of himself on the mattress. He got himself into his shirt, which had dried considerably. He regrettably had to throw his packet of wasabi seeds out of the window, which had become a fusion of wet paper and seeds and other Knick knacks he had laying round in his pocket. He looked at himself in the mirror as he buttoned up his shirt. His hands where skillfully bandaged up to his elbows, even more tight than his “lucky ones” yet he did not notice them in his slumberous state till now. “Well, at least they looked cool.” He thought to himself as he made his way out of the room, not even bothering to retie his hair properly. As he found himself out of the room, Hinoki realized that he had no idea where he was supposed to go. Luckily for him, a servant was nearby to guide him in the right direction to the where he was supposed to be. He was ushered in a small room and told to wait and that he will soon be received. Letting out a sigh, he resigned himself to this fate and reached into his right pocket to get some wasabi seeds. As it found nothing, a new wave of disappointment came down. “Yea, it’s going to be a really long day” he muttered slumping down on the ground.

He could hear a conversation going on in the other room, instantly recognizing the voice of Tsubaki, though he could not recognize the other female voice. “Guess I’m not the only one who’s unhappy with the changes “he muttered as Tsubaki’s confused voice continued to talk in the background. He didn’t really care what they were saying but from tone alone he knew what was going on. Soon after the conversation ceased and the paneling separating the rooms was opened by a lean dark haired woman which he recognized as a chunin by the vest. As she signaled him to go seat by Tsubaki, primed up as usual. He nodded weakly and avoided making eye contact with her as much as possible. He wasn’t really sure what kind of standing he was with here, with saving his life and all. “Well, it possible can’t get any worse can it?” he thought to himself albeit he had a strong feeling he knew the answer.

[833]

As Tsubaki acknowledged Hinoki’s presence with a greeting, all he could muster was a quick look towards her way. He would thank her properly afterwards. No! What was he thinking? It was her fault he was here in the first place. “Fuck it, I’ll burn that bridge when I get to it. Better focus on whatever they are going to throw against me.” He thought as Maka being explaining the basic principle of a Genjutsu. As she continued to explain more about what Jutsu they would be learning today, it peaked Hinoki’s interest. The Genjutsu Release seemed like an extremely handy Jutsu but when he heard the word “Teamwork”, he was taken aback visibly. He let out a sigh of relief when Maka continued explaining that they were going to start with the Genjutsu Release Jutsu. Unfortunately, another nasty surprise came his way when Maka asked for them to activate their Byakugan. He had only done it once on accident and had no idea what hand signs where involved. “Guess I’ll have to copy what Tsubaki does and maybe I can wing it.” He thought begrudgingly, unhappy to have to rely on his second cousin once again. Fortunately for him, she was seated on the side of the unbroken lens and he was sure that his quick peek would be hidden by his tinted glasses. Well, at least he hoped so.

Eyes on Tsubaki’s hands, he started following her lead. Fortunately, he had a good grasp on the hand signs and was able to recognize most of them by appearance alone. Well, atleast the cool ones. “Horse – Tiger – Boar – Hare – Rat -Dog”. She was faster than him and Hinoki was beginning to fall behind when he felt the same feeling that he had when he was up on that hill and he let himself be consumed by it. The familiar feeling of the bulging veins started spreading on his temple. “Fuck yea, I di- “he thought as his face was breaking in a grin when suddenly, the Surge of chakra and all-round vision hit him at once. Albeit he managed to activate his Byakugan, the lack of the remaining hand signs made its activation rough, the chakra having to forcefully make it way through his chakra pathways. The sudden all-round sight disoriented Hinoki and the crushing feeling of the chakra forcefully making its way took Hinoki by surprise. Disoriented, his head slammed down on the low table in front of him, shaking the tea cups and kettle. He reeled back from the impact, losing his balance and ending on the flat of the back. Scrambling to his feet with a bleeding nose, he found himself faced with materializing clones of Maka. “So it begins” he muttered seconds before dropping to his knees once again and throwing up the dark medical elixir.

Standing shakily on his feet once again, he could now see clearly his own chakra forcing his way through the pathways and even though he knew he needed to deactivate his byakugan soon, he need the extra chakra flow. He now  turned his focus on the task at hand as he tried to recollect what was the hand sign for the Genjutsu release. “Was it Tiger or Ram?" he thought. He couldn't keep the straining byakugan too long, so he made his choice quickly "Fuck it, Tiger always looked cooler” he muttered as he decided to wing it due to the clones getting too close to his liking.  Making the tiger hand sign, he concentered to unleash the chakra shockwave. He saw the chakra pulsate through his body and at that moment he let go of the byakugan, hoping that tiger was really the cooler sign and the Jutsu worked.


[833 + 627] = [1460]

Cleaning his glasses with the hem of his shirt and stuffing a napkin from the table up his bleeding nose, Hinoki listened half heartedly to what Maka was saying. While he might usually find pleasure in such a situation, the fact that he was going to have to go under the effects of some horrible Genjutsu made sure he was filled with dread instead. Giving a slight nod to Maka to signal that he understood, he put on his glasses and moved closer to Tsubaki. Taking a deep breath, he formed “Horse – Tiger – Boar – Hare – Rat - Dog” and again let the familiar feeling flood into him and veins began once again bulging up on his temple, but this time he was braced for the adverse effects of the incomplete hand signs. Or so he thought. He managed to keep himself on both feet and tensed his muscles as the chakra being flowing through painfully and his vision expanded whilst chakra lines began to form. Doing his best to ignore it, he turned his full attention back to Tsubaki.

Analyzing Tsubaki’s chakra pathways, he could see that the most active Keirakukei where the one over her heart and split to the left and right.  Forming the Tiger hand sign, he focused his chakra on the tips of his index and middle finger. When he saw that he had formed sufficiently enough chakra, he gave a forceful jab at that Keirakukei; transferring all the generated chakra into Tsubaki, causing a disruption between the chakra pathways. Only after he landed the jab he realized that he could have chosen a much better spot to hit then where chose initially. Meekly disengaging his byakugan, he realized that his impromptu nasal plugs had been pushed out and a steady stream of blood was coming out of his nose, tainting the floor. Guess he did not brace himself well enough for the shock of the byakugan. He set down hastily and tore another napkin to block up the nose bleed, avoiding eye contact with anyone if possible. Things where getting worse and were probably going to get even worse. And it’s all his bloody fault.

[1460+360] = [1820]

Hinoki was not prepared at all when he found himself nearly chest down in quick sand. Still recovering from the high chakra needed to initiate the byakugan with half the hands signs, he could barely put a struggle even if he wanted to. He knew which Keirakukei he’ll need opened to send a shockwave strong enough to release him from this Genjutsu. He needed the increased chakra flow that the byakugan gives and he still yet has to feel the full effects of activating the Byakugan without a single hand seal. With proper training it could done at whims granted but of course, Hinoki had no such training. He began to control his breathing as the sand was now up to his neck. Doing his best to emulate the feeling he gets before the byakugan is awakened, he began letting himself immerse completely into it. The Veins on his temple where already starting to bulge out when Tsubaki hit him with a Genjutsu release. Totally unprepared for this, he found himself stumbling back down onto his arse. “I guess when you are stuck in quick sand time passes quickly” he lamented as he got himself up once again. Even though Tsubaki words where all on point and polite, he could still feel the mocking in her tone. Yet, he was too exhausted to even argue and he just stared at her menacingly from under his glasses. Well, as menacingly as someone in his state could be at least.

Hinoki nodded at Maka to put him once more in the Genjutsu. This went on for a few more times, with each time Hinoki wouldn’t be able to escape. Finally, on the sixth try; Hinoki tugged on the familiar feeling as his temple filled with bulging veins, he located his centermost Keirakukei and began focusing to gather chakra in them, mentally visualizing himself doing the tiger hand sign. The pain this time was much worse, as not even one hand sign was made to felicitate the huge chakra boost of the byakugan. Then in one instant, he unleashed all of his gathered Chakra as it spread through his body, breaking himself finally from the vice of the Genjutsu.

He didn’t even have to deactivate the byakugan, the shock wave itself was rampant enough to break Kekkei Genkai. Laying exhausted as heap on the floor, he slowly got up, the coppery taste of blood in his mouth. He didn’t even acknowledge Maka as he up and slowly shuffled his way out. He had no idea where he needed to next. Life was just one big mystery and the only sure thing he knew as that he needed a nap. He made his way to the room woke up in and just plopped down on the bed, bloody clothes and all. Those things can wait.

[Exit]

[1820+470] = [2,290]
[Trained Genjutsu Release] [E Rank] [500 Words]
[Mastered  Genjutsu Release] [E Rank] (No Seals -3AP) [500 Words]
[Started Training for Mist Servant Technique [999/1000]
[Claiming 12 Stat Points for 2,200 Words]