Beyond Imagination... (Training)

Zeo Kamigawa Stats

Beyond Imagination

Zeo was recovering, slowly but surely from the events of the fire. So far he had gotten attacked, and almost burned alive from the events over the past couple of weeks. He dove into a burning building to save lives, and he practically survived an attack on the academy by sheer luck-- or intuition due to his chakra sensory. Though haven was a safe place for him, he was starting to see the ugly unrest in this country. Even the Hoshikage seemed lax to him, as his squad had not even formed. IT was frustrating for him. Though he met good people, he at times felt alone, depressed, and empty. That emptiness made him a suitable shinobi, but the pain in his heart continued to set.

Coming to the Water Gardens was his escape. The one place he felt he could find some peace from the whirlwind of emotions and thoughts that lurked below the surface of his expression. That early morning he was there. The sun was barely up-- and the weather caused a natural mist to settle over the lake and the surrounding area. The fact the mist surrounded him made him feel a lot more relaxed, that no one would easily bother him. Though in his heart of hearts, he was tired of being alone. He hated it. He wishes he was in a squad already, and could just act to do something about it then wait. But what could he do? He was a genin, like others. Had he not accepted being a ninja, he would have been left for worse.

Zeo still clung to the scroll he had. The last thing his parents left him, sealed tight and with no way to open it. He had too many unanswered questions, and just wanted answers. No matter what he learned, no matter what jutsu he learned to make himself stronger-- it wasn't enough. In the end, it was a coping mechanism to escape the real questions he couldn't solve.

Sitting at the edge of the lake over the misty scene he sighed and drew up his knees to his chest and rested there. His arms laid against his knees, his head against it. "Just what the hell am I suppose to do now... This feels like purgatory..." he grumbled, trying to hide any kind of tear that would fall from his eyes.

After wallowing in self-pity long enough, he finally released his guilt as he soon took out something from his pocket-- a metal bubble pipe he recently bought, a container with soapy water-- and a scroll. Though it was another jutsu, another distraction to better himself-- he liked it. He recalled the time he did the same thing with his father. The two of them would sit on the back porch, overlooking the sky and river and blow bubbles into the distance. He enjoyed those peaceful moments, as his father taught him how to blow them and watched as they lazily flew wherever they wished.

Dipping the pipe into the soapy water container, he pulled it out and took a deep breath. Taking the pipe to his mouth, he blew gently . The pipe focused the air far better, and soon watched as bubbles began to flutter into the air. The shape of the pipe allowed for large, circular bubbles that floated into the hazy air. To him, bubbles were like a form of artwork. The brief moment how they form, move, and interact with one another. He enjoyed it, and while some would call it juvenile, he saw something beautiful about it. At that moment, he felt closer to his father as he blew them.

The opened scroll, however, showed a different application for the bubbles too. A jutsu that used water-style bubbles...

WC: 630 (x2 due to anniversary) 1260

He was about to actually read and learn the jutsu-- when something caught his attention. It was a sense of color that was different as the mist shifted-- revealing someone out by the gazebo area of the gardens. A single man, standing tall overlooking the water and rising sun in the distance. Though it had not shown yet, the orange glow of sunrise was against the clouds and mist, making it seem golden.

Zeo recognized him-- or so he thought. He was the shinobi from the recovery project from one of the fires. He was a senior shinobi-- a jounin no doubt! He had to be with all the respect he was shown at the sight. Even the grumpy medic was respectful of him. He didn't know much about him beyond that. He stood there like a sage, watching the water. Zeo didn't even sense him at first. He didn't grasp who he was or how he was so quiet and calm-- even chakra sensory he didn't even sense him.

As the last of Zeo's bubbles drifted away or popped into the mist, he looked to his pipe and the scroll he had. He wanted to practice, but he was intrigued by the Hoshigakure jounin. He had not met many jounin. After a bit of debate in his mind, he got up and rolled up the scroll he had. Curious, he approached closer towards the meditating shinobi.

Trying to be quiet upon the grass and his approach, he walked casually forward, keeping mind of his footing as if there was a deer or animal nearby he didn't want to spook. The jounin stood upon the pear near where the gazebo was, now brighter due to the rising sun. The shinobi's outfit was indeed different from most. He didn't wear the same flax jacket, holsters, or headband. He wore a black gi, top and bottom, made of some kind of light, silken material. Golden embroidery was marking it, depicting a series of clouds on his outfit. He was barefoot, with an odd form of sandals that protected his soles and just that. Strange metallic ornaments hung from his belt, seemingly of some kind of holy or religous significance. His black hair was tied up in the back, keeping it orderly. Though not facing him, Zeo could see the parts of his face-- where his mask was.

He looked stern, focused and unmovable. Zeo stopped short to a tree that was nearby, a few meters away from the edge of the deck that stretched out across the water. He wanted to say something, but was unsure what to say. He wasn't even sure if the man wanted to be disturbed as he stood there. The hesitation was clear in Zeo, as even his arm trembled when he wanted to reach out and say hello. As if a single sound would make an enemy pounce.

"Something I can help you with, kid?" the voice spoke as clear as a bell.

"*Gasp* ... Ugh!" Zeo jumped in alarm at the sudden words to come from him. His eyes were wide as the man didn't move. He just stood there, as still as before. Even so, Zeo was speechless.

"No need to be afraid. I don't bite," he spoke again, this time his voice hinting the dry sarcasm.

WC: 553 (x2 from anniversary event) 1106
TWC: 2366

Zeo glared at the man for the sarcasm but knew he made a point. Being cautious or even withdrawn was not going to get him anywhere. Despite the lack of eye contact, Zeo approached slowly onto the platform of where the man stood, overlooking the lake and mist. "Hi there. I hope I am not disturbing you. You're the shinobi from the other day at the recovery project. Thank you for your support earlier." Zeo said as he bowed his head towards him in politeness.

Though he never turned around, he smiled. Either by intuition, sensory, or some other skill, he could easily see Zeo's reaction with his words. "There is no need to thank me. " he explained, "You have done a great service to the village. I only recognized your efforts. You should be proud. " he said.

"Honestly, not so much..." Zeo mentioned, his tone clearly revealing his unease.

The man paused, but still remained where he was. All the while, Zeo couldn't read him at all. It was like he was part of the landscape, not really a presence there. "I see. Has your time as a Shinobi been good to you?" he asked.

Zeo shifted his feet as he looked out at the water before the man, seeing the sunrise. "Eh well... its not what I expected." Zeo began to explain to the senior ninja. "I mean, yeah I am given missions and I help out around the village. I am proud to be welcomed here and to be chosen as a shinobi but... I feel lost and not really considered. I mean, I don't even have a squad or sensei yet. It's annoying that I strive to go forward, and yet I have not been given the things I need to progress. Even the chunin exams seem to be delayed..." A sigh escaped Zeo as he calmed himself, trying to keep his frustration under control. "I don't know... I just felt like I would be given more direction instead of just going on my own. "

It was then the man finally lowered his arms and turned around. Zeo saw his sharp face with the mask-- the small beard he had and his mask made him almost look like some kind of falcon or bird of prey. The stern look on his face made Zeo worry he offended him somehow. "You were never assigned a squad? Not even a senior instructor for training?" he asked.

Zeo merely shook his head, which was all that was need to be said.

He slowly moved his head, as if in thought to ponder what was said. "I see. I didn't realize there was so much disorder within the academy that you'd be overlooked. " he said.

Though as he spoke, Zeo couldn't help but look more at him. The front of his belt also sported the star-- the mark of the shinobi for the star village. He decided it was better to ask. "Are you... a jounin?" he asked.

"Hm, I am," he commented casually, his tone a bit lighter.

Zeo felt a bit more relaxed then, as he could tell the man wasn't completely untalkative or as stern as he appeared. "I bet your a pretty talented one. You certainly had a lot of respect during the recovery project. I just had a good sense about you." he said. Zeo tried to sense for his chakra. This time, he was able to sense it. The man was harboring a rather soothing chakra. Not too soft or strong, but at ease and calm. But how clear it was made the difference now. His chakra was without a doubt strong.

A chuckle escaped him as he looked to the horizon ahead. "Well, thank you. " he said. By then he looked back to Zeo. "I have seen my share of action, that is true. You're... Zeo Kamigawa, correct?"

"Yes, sir," he replied.

The man turned to Zeo, a clear smile on his face. "Well, it's nice to properly meet you. I'm Yasha," he greeted. "And there is no need to be so shy. Come sit. It's a very beautiful view here. " With that , Yasha sat himself down on the deck crosslegged, awaiting for Zeo to join him.

While more at ease with the stranger, Yasha, Zeo felt an odd sense of trust from him. Perhaps cause he was a well-respected shinobi, but something more. With no reason to refuse, Zeo approached onto the pier towards the lake view.

WC: 752 (X2 due to event) 1054
TWC: 3807

Zeo still felt a little uneased by him, but only cause of the mask he wore. "Never trust a man in a mask" or how that concept went, but he was a Hoshigakure shinobi and respected in the village. It was the first time since the academy that he had any real person older than him that could give him a sense of direction, so he felt compelled to trust him. After a moment of thought, he sat down next to him as the sunrise illuminated the mist. The scene alone looked like some kind of heavenly paradise, something that Zeo thought was beautiful, and ironic to the scenes of Haven so far.

"So, what brings you here this early?" Yasha asked.

Zeo reached into his kimono sleeve to draw out the scroll he had moments ago, along with the bubble pipe he had bought recently. "Well... I recently picked up this Jutsu to learn this fun version of the water release that I wanted to try. I did it before-- well I mean blowing the bubble parts, but I can't imagine using this as a ninjutsu base. Plus it seems to not be working... I can make the bubbles easily, but they are not well, behaving as they should." he explained.

Despite his mask, he seemed to express emotion easily enough as he nodded his head and the smile on his face. "Let me have a look at that," he said. Zeo soon handed the scroll over to him and Yasha opened it. He took a moment to examine the scroll, which was hard for Zeo to understand since the man wore that strange mask over his eyes. Already Zeo was going over ideas why he wore it, or if there was a reason behind it. Even so, he was reading the script on the paper easily as he went over the formula, diagrams, and pictures.

"Mhmm... this is quite a complicated jutsu," he commented as he held the scroll in his hand. "It requires a great deal of concentration and difficult chakra control to maintain. " But he then turned to Zeo, looking him over. "Then again, you did do a rather impressive Water Dragon Bullet, despite your age." He said.

Zeo couldn't help but blush a bit as he rubbed a hand behind his head in modesty. "Eh well that was less about control and more about desperation. Besides, I love reading and learning about new Jutsu. I even want to make up some of my own someday." he explained.

"That's an audacious goal," he said as he lowered the scroll. "Very well. Let's see what we can do about this Jutsu first. From what I understand, this water style jutsu takes the form of bubbles but is paramount to learn to use other jutsu it diverges from. But first, you must master its creation and chakra flow to manipulate the bubbles. "

With a nod, Zeo took out his bubble pipe, tied to the tassel around his wrist to keep it in hand. With some water, he dipped it in and soon brought it up to his mouth to blow. With his breath, about four bubbles of substantial size was created. After which, Zeo made a hand sign to try and control them-- where they would float, or move. However, they just continued to float lazily into the air with the flow of the existing air. Eventually, they went too far away.

A grunt escaped Zeo as he lowered his hand. The Jutsu failed.

Zeo was quick when it came to using complicated jutsu, but this one was a bit more challenging. It wasn't just about hand signs, or even the bubbles' nature, but him not applying the chakra right to it.

Yasha hummed as he looked at the popping bubbles in the distance. "No power worth mastering doesn't come without challenge, Zeo. Practice makes perfect, after all..." he said with a cocky smirk on his face.

Zeo couldn't help but frown at the smirk but had no intention to give up. He soon continued again, blowing bubbles out over the lake till he got the hang of manipulating them.

WC: 694 (X2 due to anniversary) 1388
TWC: 5195

This took a bit of time, even past the early morning. Zeo was grateful for the hands-on training he now had, but his mastery of this technique was not going as smoothly as he had hoped. He had prided himself on quality chakra control. He learned to do surface walking with great ease, and learning ninjutsu of different kinds was second nature to him now. However, this was something he wasn't understanding. He did the hand signs correctly, used the appropriate chakra amount and technique using the bubble wand. Every time he tried, he couldn't get the results he wanted.

Standing on the pier overlooking the water, he could see the fish swimming in the distance and ripples that went out as he blew bubbles into the air. They were beautiful most of the time, but now he was just frustrated. The allure to them was laxed due to his attempts. The bubbles were not responding correctly. Every time he blew them, they would either drift off away without his control or simply pop due to him blowing too hard. Despite it, he kept trying, doing different methods to try and get the right results from calmer breath to blowing as hard as he could-- which naturally didn't help.

Meanwhile, Yasha had remained nearby. He had no lasting plans for the day so he decided to oversee Zeo's training with this Jutsu. From the hillside overlooking the lake, he watched from the shade of the tree, his mask still present but he was still aware of Zeo's actions and his progress.

Zeo tried again, taking a calm breath and blew out a large sizable bubble with the bubble pipe. He quickly made a hand to try and control it-- but the bubble merely shifted a bit, then flew away out of his control. He tried again, this time being calm and blew with more consistency-- but the result made the bubble pop.

"D-Damnit!" Zeo declared, a rare show of his impatience as he threw his arms to his side in anger. He wasn't making any progress despite hours trying to do it. In design, the Jutsu would have created perfectly formed bubbles filled with chakra, to use, and that would follow his control. Meaning he could in theory control the movement and directions of the bubbles, despite ambient wind and rain. "Why can't I get this? This jutsu should be easy, so why do they either fly away or pop. Man..."

The soft chuckle of Yasha could be heard by Zeo.

WC: 422 (X2 due to anniversary ) 844

Zeo frowned at the sound of Yasha's light-hearted chuckle as he turned around. He didn't understand the humor since he been trying for hours-- and had to refill the soap bubble water container twice to pull it off. "Yasha-senpai, I know you are doing the whole masked wise sage attitude but do you mind enlightening me here as to why you're laughing at me?" he asked dryly.

Yasha calmed himself as he rested, still under the shade of the tree. "The reason you wish to master this jutsu is because of its memory and beauty. If you fail to acknowledge those parts, the jutsu won't work regardless." he said.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Zeo asked, honestly not sure what he was trying to get across.

Seeing as Zeo needed a bit more instruction to the technique, the man looked at him with a calm but serious expression. "Listen. THis jutsu requires a very specific level of chakra control to be able to not only create these bubbles but to control where they go and how they operate. " he explained, "In order for this jutsu to work, you need to need to take the methods of Chakra control a step further than you have before. "

Zeo was surprised by that. He had thought he had the grasp of CHakra control. In fact he was praised for it back in the academy as he mastered surface walking quicker than the others in his class.

Yasha soon rose up from his perch under the tree and slowly made his way down the hill towards him. "First, you learned how to focus chakra to stand or climb up a solid surface. It allowed you to control a set and balanced amount to allow you to cling to a surface and not fall. " he explained as he walked to him, "When you learned to walk on water, you learned how to apply a constant stream of chakra to the water-- keeping yourself afloat and to also adjust to the surface as it changed constantly. Now, how do you think these exercises and this jutsu differ in terms of chakra control?"

"Um, well... " Zeo was stuck. He understood the purpose of chakra control and even more so for its use of how it controls the power and concept of a jutsu. Too much and you burn yourself out, too little and the jutsu wouldn't work. The balance was necessary. He bit his lip in thought. How was this difference in how they were different? Unable to figure it out, he sighed a heavy breath...

Then it clicked in his head. Right there-- and seeing his reaction and wide eyes, Yasha smirked again. "... My breath?" He asked, but had a feeling he was correct.

Yasha nodded. "Yes, exactly," he said as he stood before Zeo. "This is why the technique is so hard to master. You are applying chakra control to an aspect of your body that is involuntary. Most of the time, a jutsu that comes out of the mouth works as an exit for the chakra out of your body. However, that kind of chakra control takes place inside of the body. Here, you must apply chakra control to your very breathing. "

Chakra control to an involuntary aspect of his body sounded even more difficult than just his limbs. How was he going to do that, he wondered. "Okay... that makes sense, but where do I even begin trying to control something like that?" he asked.

Yasha didn't miss a beat as he seemed to know how to proceed. "May I borrow your water container, please?" he asked.

Taking the container of water he had been using, he handed it to Yasha. Upon opening it, he saw it was half empty, so he went to the edge of the lake. He filled it up with the water, then held it tight. A surge of chakra fed into the water, applying its nature to foarm soap but something else as well. Once he was done, he came back to Zeo and gave it back to him. As Zeo took hold of it, he noticed a significant weight difference in it. He put a finger in it-- and noticed how thick it was, as if it was mixed with some kind of sap. "Um, what is this? The water is denser than usual,"

"Exactly. The goal here is to apply proper strength to put chakra into your breath," he said, "Using that water, I want you to try and form bubbles. They don't need to obey you or go, but the goal is to merely form them. "

Zeo paused a bit as he looked at the water container. He took the bubble pipe and dipped it in, the drops that left it seem to drip like syrup. He doubt it would normally form. As he faced out over the water, he took the pipe and blew---

The water didn't even pop. If anything, it felt like nothing got through. It was as if the end was completely gummed up or blocked. A cough escaped Zachary as his breath backed up on him, and his cheeks swelled from nowhere to go.

Yasha resisted the urge to laugh at the reaction. "Remember, this exercise is to teach you how to apply chakra control to your breath. If you are able to apply the right chakra into your breath, the bubbles will form like normal."

Zeo looked to the pipe in his hand, realizing this was a challenging jutsu he didn't even consider possible. But he wasn't about to give up easily. Once again, he took a deep breath and tried to blow into the pipe. This time, a mere form of a bubble started-- but only resorted back to its idle state on the end of the pipe.

WC: 979 (X2 from anniversary event) 1958

The practice continued and it soon passed noon. The mist was now gone completely and Zeo continued to vigorously try to blow the bubbles. This time, it was much, much harder. Due to the thick water, it was like trying to blow a bubble in molasses. Each time he tried he couldn't do it. Not a single small bubble would form. When he applied more force to his breath, nothing happened and barely moved.

All the while, Yasha waited patiently. Despite the amount of time, he observed Zeo's work, his breathing and his clear exhaustion after so many attempts.

By now, Zachary was feeling exhausted. He had exhaled with force so many times it had taken a toll on him. He tried a few times applying chakra, but the force wasn't enough. After a bit, he soon fell to the floor on his rear, exhausted. "Oh come on... this is harder than I thought." he said. He was starting to feel fatigued.

Do you want to take a break?" Yasha asked, "I wouldn't blame you if you needed time to recover."

Zeo paused as he looked to Yasha, but looked back to the bubble pipe in his hand. "No... I'll keep going. I just gotta find the right trick to it. It has to be something..." he said.

Zeo took a deep breath and tried to focus. Chakra into his breath was hard, but not impossible. People caused their chakra to release from their mouth all the time. However-- something then crossed his mind. Chakra wasn't just simply focus, but also where it was built up. For surface walking, it was about the feet. That was considered the hardest part of the body to focus chakra. However, chakra also had to be gathered and focused into the lungs for such a technique. It wasn't about force of the exhaling breath, but the amount of chakra in the breath.

He took a moment and cleared his mind. He made the hand signs slowly, taking his time as he took solid breaths to calm himself. Once he was ready he took one solid breath-- this time he focused chakra not into his exhale-- but in his inhaling. He focused his chakra to his lungs, feeling them start to swell with the inhale of air. He held it for a second, then brought up the pipe to his lips.

Despite the deep breath, his focus was more on the amount of chakra in the lungs-- and as a result, something happened. While the amount was strong, the water swelled-- and out appeared a large bubble. Despite the dense water, the air floated it and became a solid bubble. His eyes widened as he saw it. It floated overhead, lazily into the air as others would have. Zeo tried it again, this time, he was able to produce three-- by applying more chakra into the breath.

"That's right. Physical strength alone in your exhaling isn't the answer. Did you know what you did to make it different?" Yasha asked.

Zeo turned to Yasha with a smile. "Yeah... I almost forgot the basics of this. It's not about force, but focus, only this time it's to the lungs. Instead of forming chakra outward. Is that right?" he asked, and Yasha replied with a nod.

Slowly but surely, Zeo began to get the hang of it. Though the effort was little, he was able to produce more bubbles with each breath, applying chakra each time. More and more his lungs were able to hold more to the point that exhaling so hard wasn't necessary. Within a few moments, he was able to produce large bubbles the size of softballs each time.

He was starting to get the hang of this jutsu!

WC: 626 (X2 from anniversary) 1252

The more he praticed it, the more he was able to blow bigger bubbles. While each dip into the water produced just enough substance to form a bubble, his chakra strength to make it bigger and blow-- exceeded the effort to use the physical breath. While he could guess that Yasha's intent was to show how to apply the bubbles with a handicap of heavier water. Normally, it wouldn't be that thick.

A clap soon made Zeo stop as he turned to find Yasha approach him. "As dedicated as you are, you must know your limits. I must insist now, you take a break," he said as he sat on the pier beside Zeo where he was.

Reluctantly, Zeo sighed and put down the pipe and container. "Sorry, Yasha-Senpai. Once I get the hang of this, it starts to become more fun than work if you know what I mean," he said, finally allowing himself to really relax-- and finally realized how much effort he exerted. His stomach grumbled as he now felt the need for nourishment and the sweat and heat from the mid-summer air. Had it not been for working around so much water, he probably would have felt even hotter.

It was then he saw something in his field of vision-- a hand extending a few rice balls. "Here, have one." Yasha offered. "It also has food-pill qualities to help regain your chakra. Then we can continue if you're up for it."

"Oh, thank you," Zeo said and took the rice ball. He bit into it and noticed the wonderful taste of rice, certain spices, and even beef in the dish. A hum of gratitude and satisfaction escaped him as he took another bite, finding the flavor pleasant as well as the energy he got. "It's good, Yasha-senpai."

"You need not call me that all the time," Yasha said humbly as he had some of his own rice ball.

"I see... Still, I didn't want to presume calling you sensei just yet. But truthfully, you been more of a teacher than any other shinobi I had thus far." Zeo explained.

A mild silence came over Yasha as he mulled it over, but soon, after he finished his rice ball, he nodded. "Sensei, it is then. It would be remiss of me to not teach you more as a jounin. " he said.

Zachary couldn't help but smile at the offer and finished his rice ball promptly.

WC: 410 (X2 from anniversary) 820

After finishing his food, Zeo felt recharged and willing to try to continue his training of this jutsu. He had advanced so far and so fast, he hoped he could get the grasp of its fundamentals. As he finished the last bite, he took out the bubble pipe. "So what is the next step? I think I got the grasp of the concept now." Zeo told Yasha.

"Very well. May I?" he asked, requesting the water container once more. With a blink from Zachary, he handed over the container and Yasha took it. He then rose up and approached the lake water like before. Emptying the remaining water inside, he dipped it into the water of the lake and filled it up. Zeo could see another infusion of chakra into the water as Yasha returned. "This time, the water isn't as dense. The water has the normal infusion of chakra it should have, not an excess. You learned how to properly use chakra in your breath to use this Jutsu. Now you must use proper moderation in them." he explained and handed the container back to Zeo.

Unsure what he meant he took the container and dipped the pipe into the water. This time, he applied equal amounts of chakra and air into the bubble, but the result was also unexpected. The bubble came out far easier, due to the strength of the chakra-- however now after a second of leaving, it popped-- and popped with a strong shockwave that knocked Zeo on his back. The pop was like a balloon as it went off loud.

True, the Jutsu allowed the bubbles to explode at will but that was not what he was expecting. He didn't even get the chance to trigger it. It just went off.

"Grrr... you laugh, you die..." Zeo grumbled sarcastically as he saw the grin on Yasha's face.

Yasha shook his head as he watches the young genin sit up. "This exercise is about your precise control of chakra in the first phase. You learned to apply chakra into your breath, and now you must learn to apply the chakra in moderation. " Yasha explained, "To properly use this jutsu, you need a delicate balance of chakra in every single bubble you blow and evenly. If you put it all into one, of course, it will explode like that. If you apply too little, the bubble will not be controllable and won't do anything. With too much, it will pop immediately. " he said as he took the bubble pipe and container. Yasha took the tip and blew one himself. Though he wasn't likely to use the jutsu himself, Yasha seemed to grasp the concept fast. He blew a single bubble, which hovered in the air briefly and then came back down to him. Yasha extended a free hand to catch the bubble-- and upon his touch, it remained. He held it like a solid object, it not popping or anything. Zeo couldn't help but look in awe at the finished product. " It's not just about the chakra contained inside the bubble, but the bubble's surface itself. By using precise control of it, your bubbles will not just move to your will but won't pop when in contact with most physical substances like touch-- at least outside of your control. " With that, he tossed the bubble back into the air-- and it popped harmlessly without even an explosive burst.

This was indeed a challenge for Zeo as he observed the jutsu operate as it should. The bubbles would not only respond to will but become solid and durable via the kind of chakra the water was infused with. While it probably would pop against enough force, it would remain durable and not pop in the face of certain elements. This was the stretch he needed to master to use this jutsu properly. No longer could he force his chakra out. Now he had to apply the appropriate amount.

WC: 666 (x2 from anniversary) 1332

The time it took for Zeo to grasp the concept in chakra into his breath was difficult enough, but now he had to learn how to apply it evenly and fairly into the bubbles. As he gave it a try and did multiple attempts, he was able to try and use smaller amounts of chakra to avoid the same face-exploding result he had before. This was more of the same effects as he had when he was first trying to do it. Only now, the bubbles were more concise and steady in their form and movement. His chakra would fluctuate in his breath, in amounts that he wasn't fully conscious of as too little or too much. Some times, the bubbles merely flew away in the wind, not sticking around. Others would pop after a few seconds, loud as a balloon.

An hour passed as he realized he was still struggling to find that exact balance. This time, Yasha chooses to stay back and merely observe. Zeo felt a bit self-conscious and guilty as he realized the jounin was sticking around for such a long time for his benefit. After a failed attempt with the bubble popping, he turned to Yasha, now once again sitting on the hill and watching. "Not to be rude, but, don't you have anything else you need to do? I mean, I appreciate your help but don't you have anything important you should be doing than helping some Genin?" he asked.

Yasha didn't hesitate and answered. "No worries. I am on leave for a couple of days, so this was time well spent. Besides, helping a fledgling shinobi with his training is a sacred duty I take pride in, " he said calmly.

"Yeah, but I hope I am not boring you or taking up time you need to do elsewhere," Zeo asked.

He only shook his head. "Do not worry. Right now, I got all the time in the world." he replied.

As much of a counter-answer that was, Zeo continued back to the bubble training. So far, his bubbles were all either too weak or too strong. He tried to make one at a time but at times it continued to be random and unpredictable. There was no rhyme or reason for each one as he breathed with chakra, only to have each one acted random. When he had a hint of frustration, the chakra flow increased-- and the bubble popped with a loud bang again.

Seeing him struggling, Yasha considered giving him a small hint-- but choose against it. Sometimes the hardest thing to do was learn properly, and he couldn't give more details on this jutsu than he had. "Remember," he said, intending to repeat a valuable tool needed to learn this jutsu. "This jutsu requires very careful chakra control. If you are struggling, consider the basics of the previous exercises and what they have in common to this." he said.

Zeo glanced at him and considered his words. What made chakra control possible? He went over it in his mind. A calm mind, focus, and steady flow to keep the energy consistent. That was the goal in chakra control, and how it would be applied to any one Jutsu.

Then, like one of the popped bubbles-- the idea came to mind. His eyes widened and his breath caught in his chest at the realization of what he had to do.

WC: 571 (X2 from anniversary) 1142