When it rains, it pours (Takeo, Kotetsu, P, nk)

Looks like another training day for Kotetsu. No missions to perform, and with the Chuunin exams getting even closer, He needed to be in top form. His recent training put him essentially where he wanted to be in terms of physical speed. He could always work on that to get faster, but his chakra control and potency is the most important aspect that he should be working on now. 'I can always multi-task...' Kotetsu thought to himself as he was getting ready for the day's training. 'However working on my chakra is the most important thing right now...' So he sits down and goes to plan out his training for the day.

A trip to the Archives would likely be the best first step. Looking over jutsu that would be beneficial to learn. There could also be other resources that could help him develop his skills more effectively.  He had an idea in mind for a defensive jutsu. It would not be something he could develop until he was stronger, but he needed to find something to base it off of. Some kind of sonar where he could infuse his chakra into the surrounding air. That would allow him to sense attacks coming and from what direction. It took some time, but he may have found something. 'What's this...' Kotetsu thinks to himself as he looks over a scroll in the water style ninjutsu section of the library. "Rain Tiger at will..." Kotetsu muses out loud. He quickly scans over the jutsu. "The user after the seals are formed causes the sky to darken, rain to fall from the sky infused with the users chakra, this allowing the user to flood the field to aid in water style ninjutsu. The Rain is also linked with the user's senses, allowing them to extend their reaction time to each raindrop to detect everything around them. Due to the user's chakra being in the rain, others cannot use water style from their rain." He reads the technique out loud. 'This sounds like almost exactly what I was looking for...'

Now that he had a plan for the day, it was time to head out to the training grounds and work on this technique. It would likely take a great deal of time, and quite a bit of effort. It would be worth it in the end though. 'The only downside is I would not be able to use it indoors...' Kotetsu thought to himself as he made his way along a very familiar path. He'd walked it countless times as the training grounds was a second home to him now. It was cloudy out, still warm though. Haven was always warm. It didn't overly bother Kotetsu, but he preferred cooler climates. 

The Training grounds was fairly deserted for mid morning which was strange, but Kotetsu shrugged and made his way to the center of the grounds and opened the scroll he had borrowed from the library. The technique had six hand signs. Bird, Rat, Ox, Monkey, Rat, and Snake. Basically he had to make it rain. 'Seems simple enough...' Kotetsu thought to himself. 'These things never are though. Let's see how it works...' Kotetsu builds up his chakra, makes the hand signs and releases the jutsu. The clouds above him seem to get a little darker, but it doesn't look like anything is happening. 'Maybe I didn't use enough chakra...' Kotetsu thought to himself as he stared up at the clouds. He reformed the hand signs and built up even more chakra to see if that would make the difference. Knowing nothing about weather likely didn't help him in terms of figuring out why the jutsu wasn't working for him.

WC: 617

The man made his way once more to the training grounds. Truthfully he wasn't even sure why he was here. Something in the back of his mind had compelled him to visit the place again. The lack of activity in his life had dulled his instincts considerably, perhaps that was it was. An urge to get back into it all? Not even Takeo himself really knew. His chair came to a slow halt at the entrance to the grounds. His legs remained strapped as did his arm. The strain he had caused on his legs from the last activity had set him back a few days, maybe weeks. He wasn't sure how long it would be until things were back to normal.

If it even returned to being that way. Still, the man tried to find ways to occupy himself. Maybe he would find some entertainment in these grounds.

The first thing he noted upon his entrance was that the place was mostly empty. Not all that surprising really. Especially when you consider that Hoshigakure's shinobi forces were minimal at best. Even for Hoshi though it was empty today. His gaze honed in on a lone shinobi standing in the grounds. He seemed young, almost too young. A frown appeared on Takeo's face. Hoshigakure was in the business of employing child soldiers now? Takeo would have thought Den would be smarter than that, and Akihana far too compassionate. Then again Takeo wasn't entirely sure on how the place worked. He decided to find out. The white haired man motioned toward the boy. His animal companion snorted, and began to pull the chair closer toward them. As he came into hearing distance of the boy he observe their actions.

"Why does one so young spend their time training for their own demise?" He questioned out loud, breaking his own silence that had held up until that point.

It only made sense that the question might have been directed at him. Since he was the only other person in the training grounds at this time. Kotetsu hadn’t taken more than a cursory glance at them when they first entered the training ground. The poser of the question looked to be in fairly rough shape. Since the individual was strapped into a chair, it was hard to determine how tall they were. It looked like they had been through hell and back if both legs and an arm were strapped down into what he could only assume was some form of infirmary wheelchair. They definitely sounded male from the tone and pitch of voice in the question that was asked. Not really sure if the question was directed specifically at him, but it only really made sense that it was. Since he was the only other person here, and that he was in the middle of training. Kotetsu would release the jutsu he was working on and turn to face the man. 

It was not necessarily a strange question to ask. It made Kotetsu think back to a very sobering topic that his father brought up with him. Kotetsu had always been fairly intelligent and mature for his age. His family fleeing from Konoha also instilled something in him when it came to death. “Everyone dies…” Kotetsu said out loud. Partly to the individual in front of him, partially to himself. “It’s what you make of your life before you die. I am training because I’ve seen death and destruction happen to my home. My family was lucky. Many others not so much. I train so that if death and destruction comes to my new home, I won’t have to run. I will have the strength to stand up against those that seek to destroy what we have here, and I will fight with every ounce of my being. I may win, I may lose. The only way to give me the best chance is to become stronger than I am.”

With that being said, Kotetsu tries to use the Rain Tiger at Will jutsu again. He builds up much more chakra than he did before, almost the full amount that he has. He makes the hand signs and releases the jutsu. The clouds get darker as they build up with water. Instead of the rain that Kotetsu was expecting, he was rewarded with a light spitting of rain. ‘Well…some progress is better than no progress…’ Kotetsu thought to himself as he stood there, facing the individual in the chair. “I’m Kotetsu by the way. It’s nice to meet you.” He says to the man. “If you don’t mind me asking, why are you strapped into that chair?”

WC: 459
TWC: 1076

The chair-bound man listened to the child's response. His reaction was to smile. It was a small one, filled with sadness and pity. That sort of answer coming from someone so young. Training didn't matter. It didn't matter how hard he would try. There was a limit to how far people could go. The boy would find that out eventually. Takeo just hoped he would not be around to see it. This was accompanied by the boy's next attempt to use a jutsu. Takeo focused himself for a brief moment, getting a read of the child's chakra levels. It was a decent level for someone his age. Perhaps his words weren't simply for show.

The boy then took interest in him. Kotetsu was the child's name. Takeo doubted he would remember it for long. So many names, so many faces. All of them blended together eventually. "Takeo." He replied simply to the boy's introduction. Finally the boy's curiosity about the chair. Takeo looked the boy over. What tale should he weave for this child?

"Wounds from active shinobi duty." The man finally said. He had no tale, no grand story. It was a simple explanation. Straight and to the point. "It's a hard life. You'll be lucky to live past twenty." Takeo warned, sweeping the hair from his eyes with his functioning right hand. "Every person reaches their limit eventually. You shouldn't be in a rush to meet yours, not yet anyway." His arm dropped back to his side before he spoke again. "There are other ways to protect people. Become a doctor, save the ill. Let the grown adults deal with shinobi business."

'So Takeo's his name...' Kotetsu thought to himself as the chair-bound man introduced himself. It was not a name he had heard before, which was not surprising. Perhaps there was something about him in the library. He looked like he had been around for some time. It would appear that Takeo is a shinobi. Or perhaps was now, depending on how serious those injuries were. Kotetsu couldn't really tell how bad they were, but that wasn't really any of his business. Sufficed to say, the reason Takeo was in the chair was because of wounds he acquired from active shinobi duty. 'It would seem he came close to paying the ultimate price. Why or how, from what doesn't seem to be apparent, but perhaps it is best not to ask. Not yet at least...' Kotetsu thought to himself As Takeo looked like he had more to say.

The path of the shinobi being fraught with challenges was not something Kotetsu was unaware of. 'The risks are always going to be there...' Kotetsu thought to himself. The fact that shinobi had what would be considered a low life expectancy was also a fact that was not lost on him. 'We go to do dangerous things... We fight wars, we protect caravans, we scout out dangerous terrain, we hunt monsters. If we do not, who will?..' Takeo then raised a valid point. "Indeed. Everyone reaches their limit eventually. I have a reason to learn my limits. I need to be as strong as I possibly can be since it seems war may be upon us sooner rather than later..." Kotetsu sighs. "My family escaped what is likely going to be known as the destruction of Konohagakure. The Hidden mist was in the process of invading when my family and I managed to escape and made out way here..." Kotetsu says before pausing for a few moments. "Being a doctor won't protect the village from being destroyed. Besides, learning about medical ninjutsu was never something of interest to me, other  than learning what might help me survive. I would rather plan out a battle, help out with defending the village."

"Besides..." Kotetsu  says, looking over Takeo in his chair. "What happens if every other grown up ends up in a chair like yours? Us kids will have to fight eventually. I'd rather have a hand in when I do so." It was a very sobering topic for anyone to be discussing, but it was an important discussion. Kotetsu was extremely rooted in the belief that he was destined to be a powerful shinobi. The only way he could do that would be to get stronger than he already was. Takeo's warnings and advice were almost a challenge of Kotetsu's beliefs, something he needed to overcome. Of course not many people would approve of a seven year-old boy fighting alongside older shinobi, but sometimes that's just how the world works.

WC: 486
TWC: 1562

The boy's response surprised him. Though his reaction was different than that of a normal person. While one may express open shock, or perhaps worry at the thought of Kirigakure invading another place, Takeo just sighed. He reacted in a way that was befitting of someone who found out a puppy had peed on the rug again. "That isn't what I meant when I said don't fall behind." Takeo mumbled under his breath. After a moment he turned his attention back to the boy. He face turned to one of amusement fairly quickly.

"You know there are few shinobi in this world that can match me like this?" He questioned lightly. Takeo's right arm stretched up into the air, a clicking of the joints audibly making itself known as he did so. "No one in this village will be able to defeat a shinobi from Kirigakure. That is a fact." His arm dropped back to his side before he continued. "If what you said is true, you should just give up. Pack it up and leave for another continent." It was a serious warning, though Takeo's manner of delivery remained light, as if he were making casual conversation with someone in the pub.

"Give up and run while you can. Otherwise you will simply die like every other weakling in this village."

Takeo sighed  in response to Kotetsu's answer. For what reason? Disappointment perhaps? Either way, it didn't matter. Kotetsu wasn't looking for praise or judgment from anyone about his choices when it came to what he did or why he did it. He always worked for the advancement of the village.  Takeo then muttered something, but Kotetsu wasn't able to pick out what he said. Takeo's face was one of amusement when Kotetsu saw it again.

The subject changed rather abruptly at that point. Kotetsu was not sure if Takeo was being arrogant or overly confident based on his current state.  As one who takes words at face value, Kotetsu went with the impression that Takeo was not boasting for the sake of bravado or to gain a mere child's awe. "Considering I've never met you before, no that is not something I knew until now." Kotetsu said to Takeo, making sure to observe him carefully. 'I wonder...' Kotetsu thinks to himself. Acting on a hunch, he asks a question. "If that's the case...How long have you been in that chair?" Perhaps the chair was not a recent occurrence, something that he'd been bound to for a while...
The next comment surprised Kotetsu. 'Does he really think so highly of Kirigakure's shinobi, or that lowly of our own... Where is he from? I don't know many Hoshi-nin, but I do not believe that any of them would be so fatalistic...' Kotetsu thought to himself as he processed what Takeo was saying. He couldn't tell if Takeo was being genuine or fake, but that didn't really matter.  Kotetsu wanted to question him. He wanted to ask what made him so sure, so confident that Hoshi would lose. How much did he know of Kiri that made him say that. There could be several reasons, but it would not likely be a smart idea to be asking these kinds of questions. Ask the right questions to the wrong person, could end up with you dead. Kotetsu learned that when he had met Kenshin. And while this one did not seem to give anything away in terms of facial expression, it was not something he was willing to gamble his life on, not until he was much stronger than he was now.

"Perhaps I should run..."  Kotetsu said to Takeo, "...but that's not who I am." He paused for a minute, before asking yet another question, this one calculated based on the information that Takeo's already provided. "Are you able to defeat shinobi from Kirigakure?" He asks, keeping his face passive. "I know you said no one in the village will be able to defeat a shinobi from Kiri, but you also said that very few people could defeat you in your current condition. Did you include yourself in the statement regarding those in Hoshigakure currently?" Kotetsu would wait for Takeo to answer before proceeding with the idea that he had formed in his head.

WC: 492
TWC: 2054

The man's eyes flickered across the boy as they questioned him once more. He seemed stubborn. It made sense after all. They were still so young, so naive. Takeo doubted his words would reach him in the end. There was however another way. The thought had just come to him. Pushed through from the depths of his thoughts, it had become prominent now. End his career before it began. Save him from the future. It wouldn't be that hard. Just a simple arm movement.

The man shook his head. That wasn't the answer. Takeo had to focus. "A few weeks, maybe months. I've lost track of time." The man spoke after a moment. Just reply to the questions to take his mind off of things.

His hand ran through his hair once more. A sigh escaped his lips. His mind was racing right now. If he didn't relax he'd probably get a headache. Takeo briefly heard the reply about the boy not wanting to run. Then the boy returned to questioning him. Such a curious child, they were always the most..annoying to interact with.

Takeo decided to humour him, if only a little. "I'm not apart of Hoshigakure." Was the only response he bothered giving to the question. He would allow the boy to come to his own conclusions from that. "Are you still in the academy here? I've been curious if their training regime differs to that of other villages."

‘Not of Hoshigakure…’ Kotetsu thought to himself ‘And he’s been in that chair for a little while at least…’ Kotetsu sympathised that someone could be trapped like that for an extended period. It would not be something he would enjoy. He liked being able to move where he wanted, do what he wanted to do, without being bound or restrained for reasons beyond his own control.

Kotetsu shook his head in response to Takeo’s question. “I am a Genin right now, and I will be hopefully taking the Chuunin exam soon.” He says in reply. Following his earlier line of thought. “So if you are not a part of Hoshigakure as you say, that must mean you believe to be more than a match for those in Kirigakure, should they make their way here, assuming their attack on Konohagakure is successful. If that is the case, would you be willing to teach me how to fight so that I can defeat shinobi that would come to attack this village?” There, the question was out in the open. Perhaps Takeo would consider the request, perhaps he might just laugh and dismiss It out of hand. Kotetsu had no way of knowing, but the only way to find out would be to ask. ‘If he truly is as good as he says he is, then this could be what I need to become stronger…’ Kotetsu thought to himself as he waited for the wheelchair-bound shinobi to answer. ‘At the very least, it could help me in regards to fighting in the Chuunin exams…’

WC: 261
TWC: 2315

The boy explained his thoughts. Takeo didn't outwardly respond to his assumptions. Instead he just sat back and listened. Then came the question on whether or not he would teach him how to fight. Takeo shrugged. "I don't see why not." The man replied. "I'm not a teacher though. If you want to get better you just need to practice." His upper body leaned forward in his chair. His left white eye activated itself during that moment, though slightly masked by his own white hair that dropped in front of his face.

"Learn from experience I guess. Try not to die or anything." Takeo grinned. His right palm crackled with lightning chakra suddenly. It extended outward from his hand, darting along the floor as it took the shape of a hound. The beast darted forward toward the boy. It had been without much warning, but in the field you would never know when you would be set upon.

His predicament meant that Takeo would have to rely on non-handseal jutsu for the moment. Probably below S-Rank if he didn't want to kill the child outright. A good way to test the water's, the man thought as the beast darted along the fifteen meter gap between the pair. Arriving within range of the boy, the beast would pounce, lightning teeth set to bite into the left shoulder of the boy.