Flow Like Water [Yuri]

The wooden clunk of the living dummy echoes in the training area as Yuri fought the greatest enemy she ever faced, herself. Smacking the poles sticking out of the dummy as they spin, sending other poles around the cylindrical body spinning at her at a frantic pace. She wasn't a martial artist, though she knew basic unarmed fighting, enough that she could show some minimal proficiency. No, the purpose of this wasn't for mastery of taijutsu but sheer improvement of her physical ability. 


Sweat glistens on her skin as hands move in a blur that would confound the painfully mundane person, and even her strikes were well above such a person's ability. Though it wasn't the focus of her self improvement. Despite moving at this speeds, there wasn't hesitation in her blows, nor rushed and sloppy impatience. They flowed together into each other. Internalizing basic lesson from sword fighting to help her here. There was no need to go fast when you did it right the first time. Until eventually, she reaches a point where she can move at her full speed without losing any skill or focus to it. Each wooden think reverberating together in shorter tempo until it felt like they were almost overlapping. 


Now to practice her technique. Taking in a deep breathe as she control her breathing. Filling up her lungs and letting her blood carry the oxygen to the very tip of her body. Power courses through her veins as she feels her strength climb massively, and her speed rises even higher. She'd almost smile to herself if she had room for anything but focus. Her strikes on the dummy echoed louder, and the speed at which they happened quickened. She almost wished it was a good natured bit of hand play with a live opponent. The feeling of feeling out someone's openings, the steps forward, the steps back, circling each other. 


It was almost like a dance. 


Despite the dummy's best attempts to simulate being alive it could never replicate that energy or tension, that challenge, or that give and take. In fact it was almost too methodical and calculated. A tit for tat, kind of like fighting with a child. She ducks her head slightly, noticing her wandering mind as a wooden pole almost slams into her head at near the same speed and force she struck it with. Kicking out the errant thoughts as she returns to honing a razor focus. Total Concentration Breathing was a wonderful technique, it was an honor to be a part of its history.


WC: 427

"Hm?"

She takes a lightning backstep, moving just out of range of the 'living' dummy as she looks at Kikuko. The woman had something of a dog look to her. It was different from most of the ninja here though, giving off the feeling of something of a free spirit. There was only one other person she knew that she could compare this woman to. Looking at her with a casual expression she lifts each leg of hers slightly to roll the joints in her ankle. After doing both she gives a slight nod and finally answers.

"I became a kunoichi not too long ago. It's been a couple of months so far? I'm Yuri Karuma, may I ask who I have the pleasure of meeting?"

Her tone was a bit stilted, and sounded nothing like a girl her age. She was still sizing Kikuko up, standing in a relaxed posture as she rests her hands in her pockets though even relaxed it still felt like Yuri was ready to act at a moment's notice, whether to fight or something else. Looking to the side as she watches the rapidly rotating dummy's poles slowly grind to a halt, waiting patiently for an answer as her eyes flicker between the person greeting her and the dummy that represented continued training. There was no need to rush though she supposed. Besides maybe they'd have something she could learn from, even if not associating with another comrade was just the proper thing to do, she'd been taught as much at least.


That was enough to make her forcefully suppress her impatience, regardless of what she was doing.

WC: 700

"Oh, not often no. I'm not actually an unarmed martial artist. I practice bukijutsu. Though either way physical fitness is important, and I do want to learn some techniques from the practice so I am trying to study it regardless." 

Really the only difference was that she was prioritizing speed and agility for her practice. There were some shared arts between all the practices though. Ultimately a warrior was still a warrior, whether they used their fists or their blades.

"Nice to meet you Miss Hayashi. Is there anything I can do for you today or-?" 

It was still just somewhat sudden for her to have someone approach her in the training facility just to socialize. The somewhat harsh lighting, the clear purpose of the building, the smell, none of it really made it feel like a place to socialize to Yuri. Though that begged the question of what was a place to do it. She knew she wasn't much of the socializing type. Not because she disliked it but just that she'd never done it much. Maybe some kind of garden or anywhere more natural might feel comfortable. Here it was just a training facility. 


It was only now that Yuri noticed that she'd been staring at Kikuko for what may have been longer than proper. Clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth as she shifts her stance slightly, letting her eyes wander around the room. The sounds of training still continued in the commons area. Weight lifting, pushups, the former two combined, punching bags, weaponry practice. Every single type of physical need for improvement was bring met. Even the more internal ones, as people meditated to help them focus on manipulating their chakra, even some basic practices like running up walls or throwing kunai. 


It was easy for her to get lost in her own world while doing her own training, but being pulled out of it now made her more aware of just how many people were here. Though it looked like everyone here was around as focused as she was. Tons of little world's all occuring side by side without people thinking too much about it. She felt an instinct inside of her rear its head. That natural desire to appraise herself in relation to others to figure out where she stood, what she lacked, and where she led. She was still green though.

WC: 1100

A bukijutsu specialist? She shouldn’t have been surprised. Knowing that a powerful Jonin such as Travin had trained heartily in the subject, and with the former Mizukage having been rumored to be a master of the blade, it would make sense that any aspiring ninja would take a healthy interest in the weapon arts. That, mixed with cultural legends- the Seven Ninja Swordsman of the Hidden Mist told around crackling fires on a war night. Tales of times past, in a different land. Perhaps one day they would come alive again.

Listening to her explanation, she would nod cursorily. “Right! I totally understand that. When I first started out as a kunoichi I would come here to develop pain tolerance, actually. I was a bit of a crybaby back then, so I would train until it hurt so I would be better able to withstand injuries during battle. You know what I mean?”

Noting the question of her purpose, she would smile. There was something about her reservation oddly charmed, she found, although she wasn’t sure exactly how to voice that. That caution would serve her well in the field. But at home, sometimes, it was good to relax.

“To be honest? I’m unsure.” She would laugh. “Sorry, I suppose that means I’m intruding. It just happens to be in my experience that place like these serve a dual purpose. Physical and social, you know? There’s not a lot of places for us ninja to get together. It creates a community.”

"A crybaby...I can't really remember well any time I was like that, my dad said I was quiet as a kid I mostly just stared when I was a baby, at least going off of him, he said I was sharp too but considering how much he struggled...I'm happy I was able to learn how to help him as quickly as I can..." 

Her eyes close slightly as she remembers those nostalgic days, the biting cold, the howl of the winds in Iron Country, and her dad tending the flame. Doing her best to help him as quickly as possible. The harsh living in the rough climate had ended up making her the same, and then the lessons from her father had refined that toughness into something composed and elegant. Like the ironworks that her dad made, in a way she was like a crafted sword too. Honed by her experiences and filled with a purpose that shone in her eyes.

"Though I still needed tons of training too honestly. I'd been training ever since I was a small kid just to learn how to fight, plus it wasn't like we lived anywhere gentle. The mountains and hills in the Land of Iron were absurdly cold, and the winds were loud, some days the door would be shuttering constantly, and I'd stand right by it trying to make sure the poor thing wouldn't fall off the hinges."

She tries relaxing, listening to Kikuko it was obvious the girl just wanted to talk to her, it was just a social greeting to build a sense of comradery and maybe even friendship. She wasn't the callous type to just brush away such an honest gesture and frankly a part of her wanted more people to be close to. It'd been hard leaving home, even if it was isolated, there was at least one person close to her and left bereft of that she had a deep seated and subtle need to fill in that gap with whatever she could. A smile forming on her face, not overeager but genuine, not a shining brightness but a soft glow.


"It's fine, I get the whole reason behind it and all. Thanks, it was a pretty long trip to make it here and even after all the time in the Academy i'm still adjusting. It took me a while to do more than train and actually talk to people."

WC: 1500

"Did I mention the culture gap? Honestly learning ninjutsu isn't something that I really enjoy. I was raised in Iron right? There are...well placed opinions about nin in general. Honestly I didn't become a ninja out of a personal desire but more so a feeling of family obligation, and a desire to do something I couldn't do as a Samurai due to neutrality concerns. I've been settling in well though, there's a family friend and I have a house and things are nice. It's a bit expensive having to live on my own though..."

She squints her eyes slightly, before just shutting them, she could visualize the pained sigh of her wallet every time she had to make a massive expenditure just to ply her trade and necessary equipment. Skimping on armor and weapons would be a death sentence but still...did they have to be so expensive? Or maybe she just wasn't making enough. It was making her consider her relationship in this transaction where she had to spend money to work for a Kage so she could make money to spend more money to do work for them. She'd have to hope the amount she made started to outstrip the costs eventually because otherwise this would quickly become unreasonable. Shaking her head, she lets out a weathered sigh, looking at Kikuko.

"Do you want to take a break and go somewhere else for a little then. Talking is nice and all but it doesn't really feel like this is the best place to be bonding unless you want to do some exercises with me."


Though honestly it didn't really feel like this girl could keep up, she still came off as kind of soft in the physical sense. It wasn't bad, it shouldn't be bad but even so there was something about it that made Yuri stir, a worm burrowing in the mind and churning all the soil within to leave things just for the sake of causing discomfort. The idea in her head comparing Kikuko's softness and Yuri's own firm nature was making an odd sore spot. Something hard to address.


Something she wasn't sure she could address. Trying to force a smile, they push the topic along.

"So know any good places or anything? I'm still not familiar with stuff here. I haven't really gotten a grasp of anywhere with particularly good food. There was this place that burnt down though." 

WC: 1900