Fallen Behind, not to Late to Catch Up? (P, NK)

Tomoko had to admit it to herself, she was probably one of the weakest Chuunin in the village. When the shinobi force had been new there had been officials who were amazed that Tomoko had knowledge of two branches of jutsu and possessed two elements, but nowadays that wasn't very impressive. There were plenty of shinobi who could use multiple elements, and on top of that could move so quickly Tomoko couldn't even see them, let alone keep up. It was fairly embarrassing, if the kunoichi didn't want to worry about a demotion to Genin she was going to have to train in order to catch up. That's why she was at the training grounds, currently sitting on a bench observing other shinobi in an attempt to figure out what made them all so strong. She was also trying to find someone who seemed like they used jutsu she'd be interested in, or perhaps even a skilled Taijutsu user who could help her improve in that area. She had contemplated trying to train by herself but she needed to learn new techniques and fighting styles, not practice the ones she already knew. She needed a training partner, or perhaps even a teacher as much as Tomoko hated to admit it.

The villages weakest Chuunin had been to embarrassed to bring a flak jacket, instead opting to wear a T-shirt and shorts. Her headband was tied loosely around her neck, the metal plate resting on her collarbone. If it wasn't for that and the weapon pouch resting on her right hip she might have seemed like some citizen admiring the shinobi of the village from beneath the shade of a tree. Leaning back against the bench and stretching, Tomoko realized she'd been sitting for awhile. She had hoped to find someone who was training Fire or Earth jutsu but so far she hadn't seen a single technique performed that corresponded to those elements.

I might just have to try and practice Taijutsu with someone...

Tomoko lamented the idea, even though she knew it was necessary. Her Taijutsu was atrocious, she had honestly only ever sparred with someone a few times in her life. She just didn't like the idea of getting close to someone who meant her harm. It made more sense to try and keep them away from a distance, at least in Tomoko's head.

Tomoko was pulled from her thoughts about Taijutsu by a nearby voice.

"Common place to train...level zero out there in the real deal. the woods were the original training grounds, the snow, was for endurance, and the mountains for speed. one should be happy amid such a glorious training facility. Why the long face?"

Turning towards the east the kunoichi could make out the appearance of a man, though she couldn't see exactly what he was dressed in yet as the rising sun was behind him. She lifted her hand up to shield her eyes from the bright fireball in the sky and squinted in a vain hope that she'd be able to make out more details about the person addressing her, but alas it was to no avail and she was actually forced to look away from whomever this was. Still, that wasn't a reason to ignore the man's question. He had been kind enough to ask Tomoko why she seemed so distraught, he at least deserved an honest answer.

"I'm just.. nervous I guess. I'm going to be practicing Taijutsu for the first time in.. awhile and I'm worried I'm about to make a fool out of myself." Tomoko paused twice as she spoke, embarrassed to admit she wasn't that good of a melee combatant. Hopefully this man wouldn't try and tease her for it, but he had been kind enough to see what was bothering her so perhaps not. Another reason for the second pause had been.. well... she had technically never practiced Taijutsu. Sure she'd thrown a few punches and kicks while on missions but she'd never been taught any sort of fighting style.

He stepped out of the light noting the girl as she was simply unable to gaze in the sun. Blind spots forming would be bad for a person. Still he heard her out about being nervous. Practicing taijutsu as it was universally called.

"Thats the thing. You see."

Xuba stated as he stood before the girl in cloak and with an unusual glowing chain with silvery metalic boots that may look heavy by the glance, but were light as air. Lighter then even sandles. His grey eyes studying the girl like a scanner as he spoke up once more.

"You are nervous about using your last and perhaps greatest line of defense, when chara is low and weapons are depleted, swords shattered. So many see it as a last or first resort to use the art of hands and the body. Its quiet sad to be honest."

 He finished studying the girl silently as he took ahold of the chain resting on his shoulders lightly. As he wrapped them into a ball of pure chain links that glowed.

"If you want to get better. Then you must be pushed to improve. You can run fast but you will not see an improvement untill you meet someone fastet, same with strength, and willpower. I have a method however for you to improve."

Xuba stated as he tossed the chains lightly and glanced at them quietly.

"One will need speed and strength for taijutsu, knowing both offense and defense. Knowing to block and retaliate. Knowing your stance. You will take a stance and i will lay these chains at your feet. Mind you they will be heavy. You will learn to guard overwealming offenses, and will strike back just as effeciently. No weapons are used. Minus these chains. To keep your stance, and your hands, i will steadily increase my striking speed, but never strike harder then you can handle, however this is to teach you to rely less off basic knowledge but"

Xuba pointed at his chest and head.

"Instinct and your ability to respond to attacks... if ready extend your hand and step before me."

Xuba stated as he let the chains click between his fingers, like fine silver it shone in the rising sun. Only to glow unusually still.

Wc:380

The stranger moved about as Tomoko spoke, and now that the sun wasn't blinding her every time she tried to turn towards him she got a much better look at the man. He seemed quite mysterious, what with his cloak that hid his form and the strange glowing chain on the shoulder of it. Tomoko had to guess that he was a shinobi of the village, though she couldn't see any sort of indication of rank on him. He was at the village training grounds though, and was dressed unlike any civilian Tomoko had ever seen so she figured it was a safe bet.

As Tomoko finished explaining her predicament the man stopped in front of the bench Tomoko was sitting at, it was starting to become apparent now to the kunoichi that this wasn't going to be a mere passing exchange.

""Thats the thing. You see."

As he spoke the man started to look Tomoko over. Her embarrassment grew as she realized he was sizing her up, and she wished at that moment she had a cloak like this stranger so that she could hide her form as well. Unfortunately though her garb clearly exposed her slender arms and legs, making it painfully obvious she didn't have a warriors physique.

"You are nervous about using your last and perhaps greatest line of defense, when chakra is low and weapons are depleted, swords shattered. So many see it as a last or first resort to use the art of hands and the body. Its quiet sad to be honest."

Well it seemed this man was likely a practitioner of Taijutsu, perhaps even an enthusiast. He definitely had a high opinion of it, to make the claim that it was perhaps ones greatest line of defense. He continued speaking as he began to wrap that chain of his into a ball, it seemed whomever this was had set his mind on helping Tomoko improve without even knowing her name or giving his own.

"If you want to get better. Then you must be pushed to improve. You can run fast but you will not see an improvement until you meet someone faster, same with strength, and willpower. I have a method however for you to improve.

"One will need speed and strength for taijutsu, knowing both offense and defense. Knowing to block and retaliate. Knowing your stance. You will take a stance and i will lay these chains at your feet. Mind you they will be heavy. You will learn to guard overwhelming offenses, and will strike back just as efficiently. No weapons are used. Minus these chains. To keep your stance, and your hands, i will steadily increase my striking speed, but never strike harder then you can handle, however this is to teach you to rely less off basic knowledge but Instinct and your ability to respond to attacks... if ready extend your hand and step before me."

Tomoko was shocked when the man got to the part where he explained that he intended to attack her after placing a heavy chain on her feet. So she had to be his training dummy? She was hoping he might show her some katas... maybe let HER try some moves on HIM but... not this. Standing up slowly, Tomoko took a few steps closer to the stranger and hesitantly extended her left hand out towards him.

"Not that I'm not grateful for you offering to help me and telling me all of this stuff about Taijutsu but... are you sure I should be starting with something this extreme? I know you said you wouldn't hit harder than I could handle but... how will you know your attacks won't hurt me?"

Xuba chuckled at her question and tossed the chain in the air catching the link as they hit the ground leaving a soft indent in the ground.

"Have you ever been slapped by a non shinobi? What happend? Ill judge you based on my strength naturally. Ill poke you till you say ow. Of course this is known as finding ones medium. From the poke of a child it is nothing, but it wont be too much."

Although on a second note he adressed her first point.

"Well i say its less of being so formal, but you are a shinobi, even the basics are to be tough, but they will save your life.  A dummy and a target is nice for hitting the mark, but to learn you must be pushed, not trying to hit a bullseye. But grasp them you will.especially when challenged. You will see it has gotten me out of a tough bind knowing exactly how to handle the pressure. The harder you are pressed against a wall. The more you struggle, you find your strength to stand up, and also find a way to defend yourself. By doing this you learn to trust your gut and instinct in the real deal. Your mind goes from formal, to now a mind bred to survive and use tooth and nail. After all you want to survive out there right? Should someone scoop up dirt and throw it in your eyes you will not like it. Right?"

Xuba stated as he  rolled the chain links quietly and smiled. 

"Have no fear i wont holdyou with the chains for long, just enough to see how your reflexs can improve and give you the challenge. Imagine being sorrounded by  enemies, your weapons are shattered, your chakra is low. What is your first option?"

Xuba asked as he rolled each link carefully and spoke. His steps were quieter like he was accustomed to sneaking about.

"You may do a kata, but enemies do not move as exact as one, they will be doing the same as you would, finding an advantage, seeking the blow. Thats why im teaching you this. My name is tatsuma uneo, i travled quiet a bit, encountered many things. So you will learn how to really handle yourself. Here."

Wc:382

This guy was going to poke her? Tomoko wasn't exactly thrilled at the idea, but at the same time she supposed she'd prefer this stranger 'finding her medium' as opposed to breaking her bones with a punch. She was pretty sure he could do that to now she was starting to get an idea of the weight of the chain he was effortlessly tossing around and wrapping back up. It had left indents in the ground where it landed, if this stranger could easily throw something like that around then that meant that if he wanted to he could probably kill Tomoko with a single punch. If he miscalculated Tomoko's endurance even a little bit she would get seriously hurt.

But Tomoko needed to get stronger, and like this man was saying a shinobi had it tough. If she couldn't deal with another Hoshigakure shinobi poking her and binding her legs for the sake of training then she had no chance of enduring far more unconformable situations. She'd have to endure it and far more if she wanted to become a skilled shinobi of the village.

Resolving herself to attempt this man's training, she'd respond, "Alright Tatsuma, I'll give your training a shot. My name's Tomoko by the way."

As she finished she'd take up a stance, turning her body so that her right side faced Tatsuma. Her right leg was leading and both of her arms were held up in a high guard, ready to block anything that came at her head or chest. Admittedly though her mid torso wasn't that well protected but hopefully she could adjust her guard when he tried to attack her.

"So.. I guess you're going to bind my legs now right? And then 'find my medium'?" Tomoko still sounded a little nervous, but she wasn't as apprehensive now.

She was nervous. but this was not a bad thing, knowing the darkness of a corner was the very thing that determines what one must do to fight to their fullest. the training was not easy and there was a reason to it. it was to conquer fear of using ones own body as a weapon. 

"yeah we shall be finding your tolerance. then going slightly above it. If uncertain you cannot let it rule your senses. At times you must go through a dark cave, or even set off an ambush. So why in your sphere of safety must you not press your self?"

xuba asked as he knelt down and curled the glowing chain link carefully over tomoko's feet. As if she wished to lift them she needed a strength of 50. after making sure that she was safe and secure with the chains on her feet xuba took a step back as he quietly looked at her for but a moment.

" we shall begin gonna take a guess at your limit, tell me harder or softer."

xuba stated softly as he softened  his muscles a bit to lower his strength. a show of pure control and respect xuba thought of the times he encountered the various lowlifes out in the borders. sof he struck them many a time to make his point across crystal clear. with a show of grace his first strike would strike at he lead arm. speed of 90, and a strength of 13. the strike would go against tomoko's forearm.

"how is that tomoko? note that if you try to lift your legs it will not be as easy, but this is good, after all ill press you here and pull about every ounce of strength from within you. it will not be easy. but ill assure you this is similar to back against the wall, handling limited mobility will open your eyes per say. your fist challenge lies in the basic art of defense. block and with my tips ill teach you a life saving block."

xuba stated as he took a stance after the girl confirmed, or denied his guess of her duribility. it would be his hands having a simple fighter stance guard, right foot  in the lead and left foot as the rear foot slightly pivoted. his knees slightly bent.

he awaited her attack or consent to start.

(btw den you know any wc can be used to train tecs right?)

The chains were even heavier than she thought. Her feet began hurting as soon as Tatsuma rested a few of the links on her right foot, but Tomoko decided not to protest. She had to be tougher if she wanted to become a skilled shinobi, and that meant not backing down from a training session just because her feet hurt. Oh but they did hurt though, a lot. Tomoko had to stop herself from wincing in pain or crying out as he continued to wrap the chains around her. She hoped that she would get used to the pain over time but as she tried to focus on what Tatsuma was saying she realized it was difficult to veer her attention away from the chains digging into her feet and crushing them into the ground. Despite this she resolved herself to at least try and block a few of his strikes, to see how long she could last during this exercise. She could stop herself from giving into the pain before then.

Maybe.

After he finished wrapping her feet up Tomoko's mysterious tutor said it was time to guess her limit, and that he wanted her to tell her whether or not he should hit her harder or softer. Then there was a brief ruffle of his cloak, and then Tomoko felt pain stab into her forearm.

"Ow!" She cried, trying to step back but instead nearly falling over because of the chain, More pain shot through her body as the chains dug into her heal and lower leg, but she managed to right herself. She felt blood trickle onto her feet from where chains had dug into her. They hadn't even really gotten started and she'd already gotten hurt. Part of her was starting to wonder if perhaps this guy's methods were a bit to intense for her, but for the most part she scolded herself for being to weak to handle his training.

"That was to fast," was all she managed to get out at first, clutching her arm where the bruise was starting to form, "...and uh... a little to hard. I don't think I'll be able to take to many hits like that."

Despite her protests however she took up her guard again. This time she redoubled her efforts to ignore the pain and instead focus on Tatsuma's movements. Hopefully he'd slow down so that she had a chance of blocking his strikes, but if he didn't then she would have to find a way to be able to see his movements. If that was even possible. She had seen his cloak ruffle after he hit her, she was sure of that now. She had no way to compete with his speed if he went all out.

Oh the sound of the bones creaking and grinding. Unorthidox in the flesh, but nessary for the warrior spirit. Xubas grey eyes  betrayed not even the slightest hint of sympathy as this was nessary. It was the goal.  Hand to hand fighting was not granted by prayer, nor was it  given for free. It was earned through literally blood, sweat, tears. Well for that part as xuba knew more so. Agony.


She is in pain.... but she can bear it. Goood good. Lets proceed to  begin shall we?


Xuba asked himself more retorically as he smiled and noted her words. There was a slight bruise, but he knew that breakingbthe girl would gain her nothing. He would tone it down a tad bit more.


"To fight in close combat. You must remember that you have to defend before you attack. If you mindlessly attack. You are only a dummy."


Xuba said as he tilted his head towards one of the training dummies.


"Open at all angles, a peice of flesh ready to get bruised and ultimately battered. The few more hits you cannot take. Will be on you before you know it. Like a game of shogi. You must keep your king safe. In taijutsu it is the same. Your king. Isvyour life. You have moves upon many countless tactics to utilize. However, you will understand in the granted time that some moves trump others... and a well placed move will allow for a follow up attack."


Xuba paused for a moment as he heard the light steps of another induvidual.


"Tats. Finally caught up brother."


The man who bad despite xubas lomg working training was exccentially hisctwin xabi xixisis. Although his work would improve in due time xuba was pleased he showed up. Well since they were seperate beings for the moment.


"Well it is about time you rose up... told you breakfast would be at approximentally an hour from dawn.... but regardless it is time to begin. Your trainingbin hand to hand arts will do well. But ghis girl here is not as tough xabi. This will be point based hand to hand work xabi. So be light. To even it out i will need you too brotherbto wear the chain."


The man looked up astonished atvthe girl and with seemingly was about to protest


"Nani- bro-"


Xabi would start but xuba shook his head. Knowing for both their sakes xabi needed to be strong and full of spirit. Instead he loosendvthe slack and xabi took a stance as he entered within the girls arms distance.


Xabi never appreciated what it meant to face off his brother. Nor how strong xuba was as thus. It took him awhile to even get accustom to the marginly high gap of strength. But all questions had their awnsers. Just the slow bruising occuring with his pain in his feet were ever growing slowly.


Endurance test. And the run of co structive feedback as well... its a technical workout.


Xabi thought as he took a breath and calmed himself. It was not an easy adjustment, but he was getting used to it. The twin bloodline had to get strong for the two so xabi had to put in the work.


"Greetings i am xabi. So apparently it is point based. But it shall be fair. He will grant us both guidance in our training today... but these are heavy... no pain. Will not gain then."


Xith that xabi would take up an amature boxing stance. There would be a look of distaste on xubas face as he saw this. 


"Very well  this will be 3 sets of 5 points. Avoid the face and 1 point is a solid strike to the stomach, chest or ribs... begin!"


Xabi would at this point simply study the girl quietly for but a second. Simiarly to what xuba gave him on pointers on. To simply  observe then set your actions in motion. To drive them to flow and act in the most disireable outcome.

Keeping this in mind xabi would aim a jab towards tomoko's midsection with his right hand (speed 5 strength:5) . To draw a simple response. a block of some sort.  With that in mind he would as he jabbed shift his left hand towards the center of his body. Resting it inbetween himself and tomoko. (Speed:5)

(Xabi's stats are in spoiler)