Takeshi takes to the Water Gardens

Takeshi woke up one morning and Ryuu was the first voice he heard, like many mornings. “You know you don’t actually know that many techniques. Don’t you think you should fix that? If you actually get into a fight, you’re gonna get beaten down. Your little black outs where you turn into a barbarian won’t get you very far in an actual battle with skilled ninja.” Takeshi sighed, “Yeah, you’re right. But where to start?” Takeshi thought about his fighting style and his physicality. “Well I have a long reach, am decently fast. But I do remember seeing some people on the training grounds use a certain jutsu that made them insanely fast.” Takeshi tried to remember what it was called.

Takeshi went out his front door and started walking toward an open area for training. As he was walking toward the clearing, he remembers the library might have just the answer that he is looking for. Takeshi runs to the library, and when he arrives, he asks the lady at the desk what he may be able to read to learn the name of a specific jutsu. She points him towards a large book that is left open on top of a pedestal against the wall in the library. Takeshi thanks the woman and walks to the book on the pedestal. “The complete Encyclopedia of Jutsu. That seems about right!” Takeshi says excitedly before being shushed by everyone in the room. Takeshi blushes, quietly apologizes and begins to read. He goes to the “Space-time” section of the book and begins reading frantically.

After a little while of searching and reading, Takeshi finally came across a jutsu named the “Body Flicker” technique. Takeshi reads the piece on the technique and realizes that this is in fact the technique he was thinking of. “Yes!” Takeshi yells before getting thrown out of the library. Takeshi runs to the opening at max speed, so ready and excited to learn his first technique. “This technique is normally used to get behind your opponent, as it increases the users speed by an insane amount, while draining, it can be the make or break of any battle!” Ryuu then responds “That is true. But do you honestly think you are going to be able to learn such a technique? You don’t even have a teacher!” Takeshi realizes that he doesn’t have a teacher, being this is the first technique that he was going to learn, he did seem to get kind of down at this point.

“That’s true Ryuu, but you know we have been alone since the academy, since that night with mother. Ever since then, no one from the clan will speak to me, not even anyone in the village will speak to me. They all think I’m a monster for killing my own mother, regardless of the reason. Pretty much everything we do or get from this point is going to be on our own.” Tears began welling up in Takeshi’s eyes. His hands feeling some of the scars that his mother had left him. “A monster’s life, is loneliness. Nothing more. Sometimes less.” Tekashi felt his heart grow heavy, and he weeped for a moment. But he regained his determination, tightened his weapon pouch and prepared himself for an intense training session.


Word Count: 553

"It seems the Water Gardens still stand as I remember them." The raven-haired shinobi thought with a sigh. This place, the marble floors, the courtyard, the bushes surrounding them...he despised all of them. Yet the road always seemed to lead him there. The years a person spends as a Genin, were considered by society to the best years of one's life before the real world sets in and life of a shinobi become unkind.

The taijutsu expert could not relate to that at first, a life full of action comprised the majority of a shinobi's life on this planet. Was there really a point for people spending so much time pinning for years that passed in the first small fraction in one's life? Well, it could be. A shinobi's career can turn from exciting to a whirlwind of lethargy and colorless days in a drop of a hat. And even though times like this were not many in his life - Ayato felt today was one such. There were reasons for that, many reasons. Perhaps, he had come to think of them, perhaps not. Regardless, here he stood.

As the Lord of Hyuuga, he now was he learned he had to make himself presentable at all times. The combat attire of black woolen breeches and gray flak jacket, that he was so fond of had been left at home. On its place, he wore long-sleeve elaborate robes as black as the night sky. The robes were tied with a purple linen sash around his thin and free of muscle fat waist. Over them, he wore a white sleeveless surcoat reacting to his ankles. His hair had grown longer since the last time he was here two years ago. It was falling past those thin shoulders of his in thin black locks. His face was the same though, Ayato had been born plain of face and sharp of features. Combined with his sprout in height, it made him appear older than he actually was. 


Last time he had trained here, he was scoundrel dressed in dusty combat attire, not a long-haired youth wearing an elaborate eastern attire smelling of lavender. “This should go well,” Ayato assured himself, as he walked upon the hard marble floors of the Gardens, scouting for a bench to sit. The nectar curtain of dawn coaxed the earth and surroundings with the first rays of sunlight. Such a wonderful view, for Ayato's white eyes, to gaze upon and it captivated him so, that he barely noticed the plump tall youth of red hair, standing about 10 meters to his right. Slowly he turned to face that direction, the metal protector tied on his bicep reflecting the scenery that he was about to leave behind, even for a few moments. 

“You there, are you named Takeshi by chance?” 

460 WC

Takeshi stood firm in his stance and thought about the technique that he was readying himself to learn. He fantasized about how amazing it would be to actually spar with someone and not even win, but have a fighting chance. “This technique will be the beginning of something great. I may not know any techniques that are specific to the Hyuuga, but you know what!? I will become a great fighter yet!” Takeshi exclaimed as the adrenaline pumped through his entire body. Takeshi grabbed the book he grabbed from the library, a compact version of the encyclopedia, and he continued to read on the subject matter.

Takeshi was stunned at the sound of someone’s voice. “Nope. No way. There is no way two people have talked to you in one day.” Ryuu said, also being stunned. Takeshi then looked up to see who it was that had asked him the question. When he looked up and saw a man standing over him in long robes, looking as though he was royalty, his heart sunk. “I’m finally going to be taken away for my crime.” Takeshi said to Ryuu in his head. Takeshi’s hands grew sweaty. “Yes sir. I am. I know why you’re here. But if I may have one request. Can you just kill me here. I don’t really want to wait for my time to come, I’d rather just be done here and now in my favorite place, with the most beautiful sunset I’ve ever seen.” Takeshi sighed and looked down

“I’m sorry Ryuu. I had hoped this was all behind us. But I guess we should have known this was coming.” Takeshi attempted to console Ryuu. “It’s okay. At least we get to go out on such a beautiful day.” Ryuu responded. “We? You’ve never considered us a “we” before.” Takeshi said shocked. ”Well I figured if today is our last day, might as well just get over the fact that I live inside your head. Takeshi faced this new face, prayed, and prepared himself for the sweet embrace of death, to finally rid himself of this God-forsaken world.

Word Count: 402

The boy looked confused as if his mind was adrift to someplace else, seemingly taking note of Ayato as he started speaking. The response, on the other hand, was immediate. “Yes, sir. I am. I know why you’re here. But if I may have one request. Can you just kill me here? I don’t really want to wait for my time to come, I’d rather just be done here and now in my favorite place, with the most beautiful sunset I’ve ever seen.”

“Yes, of course, you do.” Ayato let out dryly as he ran his pale bony fingers through a coal of black hair. His skin appearing almost bronze in the sunlight. The scars underneath his eyes becoming more prominent.

“I Ayato, Head of the Hyuuga clan, am here to pass judgment on you for the crime you have committed against the village of Hoshigakure and its people." The White Shield said with steel in the baritone voice that exited his lips. The rest of his face still like a white porcelain mask. The imagery crystal clear in mind;'s eye. The blood, the horrific scene, the woman stabbed to death half a hundred times. Did the boy in front of him, had it in him to be a killer. No, he certainly did not. Boy was one word though. The red-haired genin was at least over two years older than Ayato was, despite Ayato being ten times the man and the fighter. 

The feeling of responsibility weighted down on those thin shoulders of his. Had it be anyone else, he would have made their internal organs implode and they would be well on their way to the next plane after the mortal one. Did Ayato really have the capacity to pass judgment to one of his own? He wondered about that since he first saw the kid's last t name. Even though Takeshi with his long fat body and red hair and chubby cheecks ooked nothing like a Hyuuga of the Byakugan was supposed, with black hair and long face. There was no doubt looking into those eyes of his now. Those eyes colored like dirty snow. He was Ayato’s brethren.

“For the sake of the last name you bear, I shall hear your side of the story before I do.” The Nova Corps Commander said and patience had never been his strong suit. A good start for the kid would be to stop talking to himself.

WC: 400

“Hear that!? He wants to hear your side of the story!!” Ryuu was excited. “I know, but hey, I got this one okay? I need you to be quiet.” Takeshi requested. “Okay, you got this Tak.” Ryuu relented. Takeshi looked at the man in the fancy clothes with the name Ayato, and began to explain what happened that night. “My mother was abusive.” He paused to show all of the scars that covered his face, arms, and legs. “She would beat me and hurt me. She kept me away from the ninja academy for years after I was eligible to go because she didn’t want me to tell anyone what she was doing to me. She would have me stand in the middle of the living room naked, just so her and her friends and our family laugh at me. She would beat me with whatever implement she could.” No matter what I brought home, whether it be an exam with a 100% or a permission slip to go on field trips, she would find a reason to fault me for something and beat me for it. This would happen every single day of my life. She convinced me that I am worthless. She convinced me that I was not worthy of the very air that I breathe. She convinced me that I was useless to the world. I hated myself, every single day of my life. Dreading the moment I woke up, knowing that I had not died in my sleep the night before.”

Takeshi took a breath, trying to control his emotions. “The night of the incident was the night of my graduation from the ninja academy, when I became a Genin. She came home drunk, again. She screamed for me to meet her in the living room of the house that we lived in. I was asleep when she had gotten home, so I sluggishly met her in the living room as she had asked me to. Upon seeing me and getting within her range. She grabbed me by my hair, slammed my head into the concrete floors of our house, and began to beat me in the back of my head until my blood covered my entire face. Knowing what would happen if I screamed, I did my best to stay quiet. Realizing this, my mother took this as a challenge. So she flipped me on my back, pulled my pants down to my ankles, and continued to beat me with a stick she had found outside. She whipped and whipped until my legs and thighs also began to bleed. At this point I was losing consciousness and all sense of feeling. I blacked out and could no longer see, hear, feel, nothing. It was similar to going to sleep.

Takeshi took another breath. “When I woke up, I was in the hospital. The doctor had told me what had happened. They told me that I had stuck a kunai in my mother’s mouth, and pulled it out of the back of her throat. Since then, my self destructive behaviour took hold. I realize that I had become a monster, so I began to cut myself, now that my mother was not here to punish me.” Takeshi pulled up his sleeve and showed Ayato the complete sleeve of scars that went along his arms in all directions. “My mother was a terrible person, but even she didn’t deserve what happened to her. I could never bring myself to do that while being conscious, but I guess my own body decided that that was enough.

“My entire childhood I talked to myself, but when I woke up in the hospital, I heard a voice as clearly as you and I are talking now. The voices name was Ryuu, and he lives in my head, he has ever since that morning. So I’m sure you noticed me talking to myself. That would be why. I have no idea where he came from. But he has been here with me, almost like a companion through these times that I have been going through. Ever since that night. No one from the village has spoken to me. They all believe that I am some monster. I know that that is what I am. But no one actually cares about why I did what I did. I couldn’t take it anymore. She would have left me to die in our own livingroom, bleeding to death while she went to her bed and slept off her drunkenness. I did what I had to survive, that woman was the devil and I couldn’t handle her abuse any more. But even with all of that said, I never wanted to do what I did.” Takeshi had never talked about that night to another person outside of his mind before, he felt a slurry of emotions. Fear, excitement, sadness, anger, and every other emotion one could think of. “Whatever the punishment, I am ready to take it.”

Word Count: 902

The sky was beginning to darken further, the moon was becoming more prominent. Takeshi and Ayato were still talking in the training grounds, and the conversation was becoming tense. Takeshi didn’t know what Ayato was going to do, he knew that at any moment, this man could easily kill him at any moment and Takeshi was ready. Probably more than ready to die right here and now. Takeshi looked into Ayato’s eyes, he wasn’t exactly sure how to read it. But he knew that whatever his choice was, it was going to be the final one.

“I don’t give a good fuck what voice you hear or don’t hear in your head. But you are going to stop talking to yourself anyway. Not because it is unhealthy, not because you might harm someone else...I despise having someone with the Hyuuga last name behave in such manner.” Takeshi didn’t know how to respond to this. Takeshi only had Ryuu to talk to for a long time, ever since the incident. Takeshi knew that if he was caught, he was going to have to deal with Ayato again, and Lord knows what he would do at that point. That is if he didn’t decide to kill him right then and there. Takeshi was proud to be a Hyuuga, he wanted nothing more than to make the clan proud and to be someone that the new Genin and Students can look up to and try and become and even beat. Someone similar to his father, while he may never have been able to meet his father, he had been told by some of the people in the village how great of a fighter he was. That was something that he wanted to emulate, Takeshi wanted to become a formidable fighter. Then, people would stop considering himself a monster, but as a leader or a comrade.

“Of that, I am not certain.” Takeshi became hardened when he heard these words. He was sure death was to come upon himself on this day. Takeshi prayed to God and readied his soul for the long trip to the afterlife. Before Takeshi could do anything more, he felt his body freeze. “What’s going on?!” Takeshi thought to himself. “Why can’t I move?” Takeshi continued to think, for he couldn’t open his mouth to actually speak. Ayato then lunged toward Takeshi and jammed his finger into his forehead . At this very moment, a burning sensation flowed throughout his entire body. Takeshi felt like yelling at the level of pain that he had experienced. Ayato then walked back to where he was standing and Takeshi was able to move his body again.

“Was this as good for you as it was for me?” Ayato was most certainly an interesting being. Takeshi didn’t know what to make of him. “Did he just kill me? But make it a slow death?” Takeshi thought to himself. “No, why would he go through so much trouble?” He did something else to him. “Was it worse than death?” Takeshi ‘s mind continued to soar with all the ideas and questions that he had in his mind.

“Deserve or not, your abusive mother was nothing to me. If your father had not been the man he was, you’d be dead now.” Takeshi reacted to this statement with curiosity, “There it was again, if my father had not been the man he was.” Takeshi couldn’t help but to think of what his father had been like. What did he do? What kind of man was he? What made this man as great as people have told him that he was? Takeshi made his mind up that he was going to find out what this man did, and do even better than he had. He wanted to be talked about as fondly as his father is.

“You can never change the past...the ink is dry. But perhaps you may change your future. I have chosen to be merciful, don’t waste your second chance.” This was a very true statement. “Everything you said is true, as I’m sure you know. The ink is in fact dry, my future is going to be as far away from my past as it can be. I want to be my own man, and I want people to look at me as fondly as my father is. Thank you for your second chance, I do hope the people of our clan will accept me once more. I do respect the fact that I will need to earn their trust. I do hope that one day they will find it in their hearts to accept me once more. Also, I will do everything I can about talking to myself, the last thing I want to do is to bring anymore embarrassment unto the clan. I want to become the greatest Hyuuga to walk the Earth. But I do want to know. What the hell was with the paralysis and jamming the finger in my forehead, and the searing pain that I felt throughout my entire body?” Takeshi was serious about getting answers. But was still grateful for everything Ayato had done for Takeshi, and really just for conversation.
Word Count: 1102

Everything you said is true, as I’m sure you know. The ink is, in fact, dry, my future is going to be as far away from my past as it can be. I want to be my own man, and I want people to look at me as fondly as my father is. Thank you for your second chance, I do hope the people of our clan will accept me once more. I do respect the fact that I will need to earn their trust. I do hope that one day they will find it in their hearts to accept me once more. Also, I will do everything I can about talking to myself, the last thing I want to do is to bring anymore embarrassment unto the clan. I want to become the greatest Hyuuga to walk the Earth. But I do want to know. What the hell was with the paralysis and jamming the finger in my forehead, and the searing pain that I felt throughout my entire body?

A soft sigh exited from the lips of the Hyuuga lord, breaking the stillness that had lasted for a very long moment after Takeshi finished his rambling. The Water Gardens were empty save for the two of them this particular evening, with everyone else had long since left for their homes and a good night’s rest.

“So you want to be the strongest Hyuuga that ever walked on earth…” Ayato said in a tone that suggested mild amusement in response to the kid’s bold statement. “Good luck with that. I want to live at a castle in the sky and get paid in candy, for all the good it does me.” The sixteen-year-old boy commander did not avert that steely gaze of his, as he went to address the most intriguing question of his brethren. 

“A safety measure, the carving on your forehead it was. Safety for the bloodline that has been blessed upon our family for generations. That is all you need to know.” The Byakugan heir stated reassuringly. “Both in your life and death.”

When the kid had asked of steel ropes that bound him during his ramble Ayato thought he caught a glimpse of excitement, from the shining in Takeshi's otherwise pale eyes. With the Body Flicker Technique, he saw training before, Ayato had considered that only appropriate. A dull and stiff technique for the dull and stiff ninja named Takeshi, would be a good match...until a moment ago. With Takeshi's newfound excitement in ninjutsu Ayato understood that the training method this branch member utilized was bound to bore the fuck out of him. Perhaps the same rule applied to every ninja that ever walked on earth, except for Ayato who had a burning to learn everything that came across his path. A tendency that left him with a lot of useless D-rank jutsu in his arsenal and sore fingers.

“Maybe I’ll place my faith in you and teach you. Family comes first after all.” The Taijutsu expert continued. “Don’t try any funny business with the voice you say you are hearing. Once again this is the last you speak of it.”

If for a minute the kid’s psychological disorder was out of the picture, Ayato could consider showcasing the D-rank Palm Bottom. It worked on a similar basis to that Body Flicker he executed before so the kid would be treading on the mapped territory...Except Takeshi Hyuuga did not seem to be the most physical shinobi out there and the aching in the muscles that were bound to engulf him after the workout could potentially leave him sore for days. Ayato would not make any immediate decisions but it then hit him, a technique that would not bore Takeshi to death and not make him throw up from exhaustion either, Ayato had such technique in his arsenal after all. And the showcase, it would be amusing to mess up with Takeshi and perhaps crack another expression out of that mess of scar tissue he called a face. 

Without saying a word, Ayato placed his fingers together and executed the Tiger hand seal required for the technique. Takeshi Hyuuga who was positioned 3 meters (6ft) to his right, would feel as if his ankles, wrists, and midsection were bound by an invisible, thick and impossible to break the fabric. Restricting all of his movements.  "I imagine you've heard in legends that in the presence of powerful shinobi, such as Orochimaru lesser fighters would freeze in fear and piss their pants as they laid there unable to move. Well, that may be true at times, since there are several reactions to fear and the world is by no in a shortage of cowards. However, the paralyzed part may make for a good verse in books or songs, but most of the time it is a Jutsu that does it." Ayato would finish and then unleash the technique, freeing Takeshi from his binds.

Taking a deep breath he spoke. "This is known as Temporary Paralysis, a D-rank Ninjutsu technique. The first thing you do is focus your chakra to the area around you, and to the frame of the individual who you want to paralyze. Then as you execute the Tiger hand seal and expel the chakra you visualize an invisible chain binding them in place." Ayato paused for a moment and weighted the new branch member with his eyes.

"You wouldn't know if the technique worked or not without a target, so I'll play the part of the ragdoll I suppose." Ayato finished. This justu power scaled with chakra and worked in relation to the target's strength. Of course, Ayato was not a behemoth capable of lifting an entire building with his physical strength, but judging from Takeshi’s chakra signature he would not be able to bind him in place either. But the medium discomfort would let the Lord of Hyuuga know if the jutsu worked.

WC: 988

“Good luck with that. I want to live at a castle in the sky and get paid in candy, for all the good it does me.” That was something Takeshi was used to. He was used to people not beleiving in him, he understood why Ayato would say something like that to him, why would he think that someone like me could become as great as to say that I was the greatest Hyuga to ever walk the Earth. It didn’t matter, Takeshi’s mind was set, he wanted to be the greatest and he will be the greatest. He knew there were going to be people who wouldn’t believe him. But he was going to push through that. Ayato is a great Hyuga, he is someone that Takeshi would have to become better than if he was to be able to be called the greatest Hyuga that ever walked the Earth.

“A safety measure, the carving on your forehead it was. Safety for the bloodline that has been blessed upon our family for generations. That is all you need to know.”Takeshi did see that this was most certainly not an answer to his question. But he took his answer as it was, knowing that he would have to do more research into this curse seal to see exactly what it was and what it did. He said it was a blessing, so he assumed that the mark that was placed on his forehead was a good thing. But for now, he would move forward from the seal and focus on other matters.

“Don’t try any funny business with the voice you say you are hearing. Once again this is the last you speak of it.” Takeshi smiled at this remark, Takeshi was not able to control the voice in his head. Or was he? Ryuu was nowhere to be found in this moment, usually when someone talks about him Ryuu is practically screaming in Takeshi’s head. But right now. He was gone. Did this curse seal actually get rid of the voice? Why would he be gone at this moment in specific. Takeshi then decided to push that topic to another time also, Takeshi did like Ayato, even if he seemed to be brutally honest. Which is something that Takeshi respected and appreciated about Ayato. Takeshi didn’t want anyone to candy coat anything they said to him. He wanted brutal honesty, for that is the only honest one can trust.

"I imagine you've heard in legends that in the presence of powerful shinobi, such as Orochimaru lesser fighters would freeze in fear and piss their pants as they laid there unable to move. Well, that may be true at times, since there are several reactions to fear and the world is by no in a shortage of cowards. However, the paralyzed part may make for a good verse in books or songs, but most of the time it is a Jutsu that does it." As Ayato was saying this, Takeshi could not move his body, he was stuck in position. He was not scared, it was not of his own decision. Once released, Takeshi was exhilarated at what had just happened. Takeshi had heard the legends and he has frozen in fear from his mother. Knowing that was not the same thing, but still understanding the point that Ayato was getting to. Takeshi was excited to learn this technique, anything new to put into Takeshi’s arsenal would be welcome in Takeshi’s mind. Takeshi was extremely focused on trying his best to become a greater ninja, he wanted to be a ninja that people would be terrified to fight against.

“This is known as Temporary Paralysis, a D-rank Ninjutsu technique. The first thing you do is focus your chakra to the area around you, and to the frame of the individual who you want to paralyze. Then as you execute the Tiger hand seal and expel the chakra you visualize an invisible chain binding them in place." Takeshi learned to every word coming out of Ayato’s mouth. Taking mental notes of every single piece of making this technique work in practice. Takeshi reminded himself what the Tiger seal was, and envisioned himself focusing his chakra on the area that surrounded his position.

"You wouldn't know if the technique worked or not without a target, so I'll play the part of the ragdoll I suppose." Takeshi was excited to be able to perform an actual new technique. Takeshi got into a fighting stance, focused on his chakra and on the area that surrounded himself. He focused his chakra underneath Ayato’s feet and framed his position. Then quickly Takeshi executed the Tiger seal. Takeshi then looked at Ayato to see if his jutsu had done the job it was supposed to have done.

Word Count: 849

Mid-thread Claims:

TWC: 3422
Adding 17 stats
Adding 1441 to Eight Trigrams: Storm Senbon (Learned)
Previous progress: http://naruto-role-play-rpg.forumotion.com/t42325-watchers-at-the-gate-nk#336107
Adding 1375 to Eight Trigrams Vacuum Wall Palm (1375/1375) (Learned)
Ayato already knows this and I am learning from him, so if I understand correctly that is cut in half.
Adding 158 to Dancing Leaf Shadow (Learned)
Previous Progress: http://naruto-role-play-rpg.forumotion.com/t42315p10-byakugan-training#336195
Adding 448 to Lion's Frenzy (448/1000)
http://naruto-role-play-rpg.forumotion.com/t30853-lion-s-frenzy

So I must be getting screwed up on the adding I guess? I am going to just update the Total word count each post, instead of putting the word count on each reply. I think that will clear up my mistakes. I went through and added all of the word counts again and have updated the WC to correct word count and changed my claims to reflect that. I switched the word count to other techniques.