Back in the seat

(Mainly just wanted to write this for an IC reason as to why Youka no longer practices taijutsu)

Stepping down into the crammed area he had never used except for storage and trinkets he knew would never see the light of day a soft exhale left his mouth as he looked left to right observing everything that would need to be done in order to create the space he would need. When the hideout was built he had intended this area to be used for practicing his fighting style and increasing his familiarization with various weapons. As time went on however he never mad it back into the depths of the basement except for to store something else he had gained from his travels and adventures. The various striking dummies, all the medical supplies, and a wide assortment of broken weapons were scattered everywhere. Boxes filled with a mixture of his and Maku's things he assumed also were stacked against walls  so much so that they protruded out into the central area as well, how had it been that they had gained so much junk in a time where they were both never truly here.

Taking one more stride downwards off the last step he crossed the threshold into the actual basement allowing his eyes to take in just how much would need to be done in order to get this area back to the standardized clean area he had wanted it to be in the first place. Today Youka was dressed in a normal set of garbs, a pair of black pants, loose fitted and a white short sleeve shirt. It allowed one to also fully take in just how much his Apperance had changed from that of his younger days. His hair, the red color now faded almost taking on a burgundy color the vibrant read now completely gone. He had the hair pulled back behind his ears allowing his face to show from behind his hair that it was usually hidden behind. The density in his face was gone, his cheeks were caved inwards, less now than before as the medicine he was taking restored some of the nutrients his body was missing. His eyes were devoid of any emotion, the clear bags under them only adding to the visage of him being between death and life completely tired and drained his existence being something of a half life. His lips were chapped and cracked in various places, his body still not producing saliva correctly left him with a dry throat and tongue rubbing against the roof of his mouth feeling almost like leather.

Today was one of the better days for him however when it came to how his body looked and felt. Blood flow wasn’t optimal to all his appendages but it was circulating as best as it could. His finger tips still showed a slightly purple color from where blood refused to pump fully and as he tapped his fingers against one another he noted the feeling gone and only a slight pressure was the sensation being sent to his brain. Rolling up the sleeves on his arms one by one he’d look at the definition returning and some muscle mass forming around his bones once more. One would also notice the various puncture marks in his arms forming a track along the main vein that ran through it from all the varying injections he had done to himself in an attempt to self medicate. For all intents and purposes Youka was still a skeleton but at least his body was returning back from the brink. Looking around one more time he’d let out an agitated sigh to no one but himself as he dragged his feet into the thick of it to begin this cleaning experience.

While time moved forward so did Youka, his small frame hunched over lifting and sliding boxes and other things from one place to another in an attempt to bring order back to all the chaos. Some of the items he found were medical supplies that would be useful later on and those went close to the stairs so he’d be able to move them back up easily when the time came. Other boxes carried things of Maku’s, things that Youka didn’t recognize or remember from any of their past adventures or visits to other villages. Once again these things must have been from wherever that place was that he had been shown in one of his friends famous genjutsu. All these things made him remember to speak with Maku about them the next time he saw him. Youka had a few questions on what exactly his friend had hoped to gain from going to that village and who those people were to him that appeared on the scroll in the vision. The only name that he had been able to place was Denkiteki’s handling worked with him for a very brief time before they parted ways. Pushing all those thoughts to the back of his mind he’d put the box with all the others out of the way after all he wasn’t one to go through the past and he wouldn’t start now by going through Maku’s belongings without the man present.

Speaking of being present where was Maku ever since that night of both of them seeing each other for the first time and all that came with that. He hadn’t seen or heard from the man in the least bit almost as if he were actively avoiding him which might have been the case after such a long time. There would of course be some growing pains now that they were both on each other’s radar once again that would have to be worked through but this too would come to pass. They had been together for a long time before this and soon they’d find their stride once more to continue on with their plan but for that to happen Youka would have to be back to a hundred percent, which he wasn’t. As he finished moving what remained in the way of the central area he’d utilize one final rolled up piece off parchment was stashed leaning against one of the dummies to be used in todays session. Reaching for it and unveiling it gently as to not tear out damage it in anyway revealed an old map of the world Youka had known during his time as Raikage. The world had always seemed so small to him before then and when he had found out just how vast it was he took the map for himself as a reminder that the goal is always bigger. Rolling it up once more he carried it over to the stairs playing it down against another box ensuring that it would be remembered when he finished and brought up to the planning room.

Now finally finished with the cleaning and organizing all that remained were six training dummies facing different directions all in a semi circle about two meters apart from each other. Walking up to face the first of the six the arms were out stretched in front of it almost as if inviting a hug but it was to simulate an opponent coming in for a grab, it’s stance was wide with its lead leg planted in front of it about nine inches from the back leg that was slightly bent at the knee to provide support for the inevitable throw that would see the user torque its body in whichever direction it had wanted. It was a simple set up a timeless beginner friendly maneuver but in the hands of a taijitsu specialist even the simple maneuvers and the mechanics behind them could be deadly.

The easiest way to prevent a throw off this nature was obviously to step out of the way either pivoting to the left or the right, never a step back least you miss your grounding and resign yourself to whatever fall you might take. However a pivot on either leg as someone reached in was an easy way to open an attacker up throwing quick punches to either the stomach, the ribs, perhaps if you were able to aim well enough the liver. That wasn’t what Youka was asking to do though, his style has always been straight forward running through whatever was coming trampling it in his wake. His body instinctively moved forward into the mannequin, his arms held up turtling his head with his chin tucked as he slid past the guard into striking range. His movement came out a lot slower than he had wished but it was also his first time attempting it in awhile and while slow it was still semi forceful as the whole movement followed through, the step in transferring its kinetic force up through his legs through the tightened core and up into his arms as his elbows collided center mass with the training doll.

From this position there were multiple avenues to branch into from the initial strike meant to surprise and off center the opponent. Also had he been at his normal strength the torso of this doll and anyone who had taken this blow would have been crushed beyond recognition. For now however he’d go through the motions just as he had done years ago his morning ritual of scenario training and visualization. From this point an open palmed thrust upwards from his defensive position would reach the dummies chin before resetting back into his posture. A move meant to send shock to the brain and shin disorient it was usually unseen from this position and how close the two bodies would be. What would usually come next would be a control hold off the aggressors body preferably by at least one hand as the body pivoted to have its back face the sticker for the briefest of moments as you pulled and torqued your body to lift the other from its feet in an over the shoulder throw. The throw was violent and effective or if utilized properly, what Youka did was movement for movement perfect albeit slow but he lacked the strength to utilize it as he had before and the doll stumbled forward putting its weight on his back. The strength needed to complete the maneuver wasn’t lacking in his end, pushing backwards he’d place the doll back on its feet before moving on to the next.

The second doll was in a blocking stance and this one was special it responded to movement and blocked in the perceived best way possible. He had it built in a time long past and had used it regularly when creating new techniques out when he wanted to test his speed. This time taking a strikers stance Youka rotated his neck from side to side working out any kinks before throwing a jab towards the dolls head, it responded with a modified high block while rotating outwards taking Youka’s arm for the ride repelling it. Next a combination , a jab and a straight to the body from the right to the left respectively as he switched positions shuffling with his feet. Both again were effortlessly blocked and the energy redistributed as his arms were pushed aside.

Frustration clearly on his face at this point wild bows were thrown from both hands at the training partner with moderate speed that seemed to be picking up as time went on but to the doll each blow was simple and recorded as it swatted each one away before returning to its neutral position with a black face. The blank face seemed to annoy Youka more than anything else as he grumbled to himself coming to terms with what had just happened. His forearms and wrists slightly bruised from the interactions he could feel them throbbing against the bone his body screaming that it wasn’t ready for this. If not now then when, when would it be ready to return to his normal self? He had waited and the medicine he was injecting was meant to increase growth and decrease recovery time and all it seemed to be doing now was the latter with the former held in suspension. A thought crossed his mind as he looked towards the remaining 4 training dolls his breath labored from just the short interval of training he had commenced.

What if he was never ready, what if the Youka of old was indeed gone forever? Too much time had passed for him to pick up the reigns where he left off. His body seemingly not allowing him to grasp that feeling again as it lacked the muscle fibers and twitch response to keep up with increased movement like it used to. It wasn’t a reality that he wanted to believe but it was becoming true more and more as he attempted to push past the wall in front of him except where the wall usually fell this time it pushed back and found him wanting. He’d have to repurpose himself and do it fast if he were to stay on the time table that had been set. There was no time to mourn the death of his fighting style and all the years of experience he had, he’d have to bury it…. Just like he buried everything else and make something that would move forward with him.

His body was ailing and falling apart daily despite the medicine he used his chakra almost rejecting him completely due to all the changes he’d made to himself. It more than likely didn’t recognize him as its owner anymore there was just too many pieces of others inside him from the hearts, to the eyes almost nothing was purely him. It was his medical prowess however that had kept him alive this long although he worked on himself like a preschooler with complete abandon for whatever happened when it came to others he was precise in what he was doing and moved with the efficiency that warranted the discipline. That side of him would stay, he’d dig deeper into it and unearth all he could about the specialty to make it his own to spread what was in him to others while also taking care to keep his own body in tact.

Moving a distance away from the remaining training equipment Youka would stop and try to think back on the signs that Maku had weaved a very long time ago. It was too a simple fire ball jutsu that if memory had served correctly his friend had never used again. Ninjutsu was never something he had tried nor did he like the thought of being at a distance from the fight yet now with the decline in his physical capabilities he’d have to try other things. His first attempt went just about as good as anyone else would when first leaning or attempting a new thing. The way the chakra felt as it molded to manifest the jutsu felt off it didn’t form correctly he didn’t feel any warmth in his stomach as the chakra mixed inside of him waiting to be expelled. Instead it fizzled inside of him before completely disappearing and the feeling lost. Once more he tried this time more slowly, more focused as he went through each sign ensuring his finger placement was correct, signs weren’t needed for hitting things as hard as you could and now he regretted not at least learning how to perform them effectively when he was younger. With a deep breath in as one shin the chakra formed in his belly he’d exhale and with it would come a small flame before puttering out inches from his lips.

The site to anyone would more than likely be extremely sad as the once proud destroyer of villages now holed up in his hideout attempted to do something he was sure children could pull off effortlessly. This change was going to be hard and coming up with a game plan on how he and Maku would fight together now that he was no longer the front line he used to be would prove to be a challenge in of itself. They’d both have to sit down and at length discuss what it was all their techniques did and how they worked together. For the most part Youka knew all of his partners genjutsu having been on the receiving end of most of them during their time together. Youka could feel the energy being sapped from his body as time went on, it wasn’t the chakra usage, for some reason he felt as if his reserves had increased in that vein. It was just his body not being at its best yet but it wasn’t rest that was needed anymore, the body just needed to remember the feelings of everything it used to be capable of and that was something you couldn’t train it just had to be done.

For the next few hours Youka spent his time forming chakra and allowing it to dissipate before attempting again. He’d gain the feeling attempt to hold it for a minute allowing it to mold and settle as he understood how it ran its course. The feeling Of warmth washed over his stomach again and again as he could feel it rising through his throat wanting to be fully released. Repetition always led to continued growth as long as it was done correctly and in a controlled environment which he had both of in spades. Even if it took him into the next day he’d continue to practice till his body wouldn’t allow it anymore or he ran out of the viral chakra needed to perform the technique. Looking outwards one more he’d lock his sights on the training dummy in the distance this time focused and dripping sweat from not only the heat building in his body time and time again but also from the exertion he was forcing out.

Making the hand signs once again this time with more speed and precision everything moved purposefully and with intent. The chakra swirling in his stomach peacefully, no longer roaring long an inferno out of control. It calmly waited to be utilized as he breathed in, his diaphragm expanding and lungs filling with air as he leaned back keeping eye sight of the target. Leaning forward while holding the final hand sign Youka breathed out and showed the chakra in his stomach to be pushed up and out. As it left his stomach and pushed up through his lungs and into his throat and out the mouth each movement felt correct and the result was a fireball now hurling towards the center target that had almost toppled him earlier with his attempt to throw it. The red flaming orbs hit its mark exploding on the dummy igniting the wood in flames quickly engulfing the entire structure belt spreading to the other dummies that had been nestled around it.

Collapsing in exhaustion and fatigue from chakra use Youka would put one knee up as he leaned against it looking at the flames Shelly go out as there was nothing else to burn and the dirt floor had no kindling. He wasn’t happy that he had finally landed what he had been attempting for hours, he want upset that it had taken so long to complete this session. Everything was as it was going to be and that’s all that mattered. It was the first step in a new direction that would be a interesting journey to say the least. Catching his breath he’d stand once more making his way towards the step that led out of the basement and towards the prepping room.

Reaching downwards Youka would ensure he grabbed the map he had placed down before. It would prove useful when he sat down with Maku and plotted out various points of interest for them and in what way they would be interacted with. The wheels were turning and time was once again moving forward but who would it stop for next, with that he’d slowly ascend the steps back into darkness.

(Exit)
TWC=3343 +33 stats. +29 to chakra +4 to speed

Going to also learn C&B rank of Great]Great fireball

Approved