Preparing for the trials ahead! [P, T]

Yukio sighed wistfully; his focus lost as he stared ahead at the Hokage Monument.  The midday sun beat down from above, and the small yard behind his home was warm and humid, as is the norm for Konohagakure.  'Someday, I'll be as powerful as Hokage-sama.  I'll unite the elemental nations under one bann-' Yukio's daydreaming was interrupted by a small pebble impacting the back of his head.  Startled, he turned to face the stern look of his mother, Fukase Ako, who did not appear overly thrilled with Yukio's daydreaming.

"Yukio, you can daydream about the Hokage after you graduate your Genin exam." She dropped her hands from her hips, adopting a small smile that seemed right at home on her face.  "I know you were disappointed your father and I held you back and trained you at home for so long, but it was to ensure you had a solid foundation.  Now, we think you're ready to take the Genin exam, IF you can demonstrate to me your three Academy Jutsu!" Ako crossed her arms and cocked out a hip, which Yukio knew to mean she was challenging him and expecting him to exceed her expectations.

"Of course, Kaa-san, I apologize for my lack of focus." Yukio responded to his mother with a deep bow.  Her eyebrow quirked upwards while he was facing the earth.

'This kid, he takes himself WAY too seriously...' Ako thought to herself, schooling her face back into a neutral position as Yukio straightened and looked at her.  ”Alright, let me see what you’ve got.  I know you’ve been hard at work learning and practicing these jutsu.  Show me.” Ako nodded at her son, indicating for him to begin. Yukio nodded, then assumed a well-practiced stance and began gathering chakra. After the briefest of moments, he formed the Ram handseal and an identical copy of himself appeared one meter away from him.  Both copies of Yukio nodded at their mother, who had a pleasant expression on her face. ”Well done, next.” Yukio nodded in acknowledgment and moved on to the next Academy Jutsu, the Transformation Technique.  This was, in his opinion, a slightly more difficult technique.  It required near perfect knowledge of the object or person you desired to transform into, so as to avoid any glaring mistakes or oversights.  After another quick gathering of chakra Yukio formed the Dog handseal and, with a small puff of smoke, in his place stood an identical copy to his mother, down to the light freckling she had across her nose.  Ako took a step closer, giving him a sharp appraisal.  After a moment, she nodded her head in satisfaction. ”A perfect replica of myself.  And I must say, I’m looking quite well for someone with a sixteen year old son.” The Ako-Yukio copy had her face scrunch in clear annoyance, and with a second puff of smoke, Yukio stood back before his mother.

”Really, Kaa-san? Can you please be serious for this? I am trying to finally become a Genin!” Yukio crossed his arm and definitely did not have a pout on his face.

”Yes, yes, I’ll take this seriously.  Fine, show me your Surface Walking Technique.” Ako waved her son on towards the large pond that inhabited the back yard of their home.  Yukio moved towards the pond, gathering chakra into his feet as he did so.  Without breaking stride (which made him rather proud, although he’d never admit such a thing to his mother) Yukio stepped onto the water with his right foot as if it were the same as the earth that had previously been beneath his feet.  He expelled a steady stream of chakra and did the same for his left foot as it came down.  Then, lifting his right foot he ceased expelling chakra, only to start it immediately upon placing the right foot down again.  In this manner he strode across the pond, ensuring he used as precisely as much chakra as he needed and no more.  Conserving your energy was fundamental knowledge for a shinobi, because running out of chakra in a fight was a death sentence, especially to one such as Yukio who desired to be a Ninjutsu specialist like the greats in his clan before him.

’Soon, Aokidanza-sama, I will be worthy of your notice.  Perhaps even one who would be tutored by you!’ The sting of a pebble hitting the back of his head shook Yukio out of his reverie as he finished his final steps across the pond and returned to the dry land where humans were supposed to remain.  He turned and gave his mother a withering stare.

”I could feel you daydreaming about the Hokage-sama.  Focus now, aspirations for world domination with your relative later!” Yukio huffed in annoyance.  Still, she was probably right, although good planning was important! ”Now, how about we try something a little different?” Ako gave her son a malicious grin and weaved through a series of handseals.  Yukio was unprepared for the Genjutsu to begin, and it was clearly a Genjutsu as his surroundings wavered and transformed.  He peered about, seeing devastation and fire all around.  His home was destroyed, a pile of rubble remained where it once proudly stood.  He looked towards the street where more buildings were destroyed or on fire, and the street itself held bodies, although they were so mangled they were unrecognizable.  These horrific images stunned Yukio, although as he continued to pan his vision across this hellscape, nothing rocked him so much as what he next saw.  The Hokage Monument, which once stood proud, was defiled, no, desecrated! Where Aokidanza’s regal face once lived, was now the twisted and vile sneer of Ayato Hyuuga, the Hogokage.  With this awful discovery, Yukio could stand the visage no longer and, forming the Tiger handseal and circling his chakra, released himself from the Genjutsu.  His surroundings returned to normal and his mother was facing him with, pardon Yukio’s language, a shit-eating grin.  As his heart rate slowly retuned to normal, Yukio fixed his mom with a harsh stare.

”Really? Ayato? That was uncalled for, Kaa-san.” A vein was beginning to pop out of Yukio’s forehead as he did his level best to not let his mother’s playful mood distract his training.

”What, I thought you needed some motivation!  You did much better that time than the other times we’ve practiced against Genjutsu.  What, seeing your poor mother and father dead isn’t traumatic, but if the Hokage Monument is defaced you lose your mind?” Ako huffed playfully, then waved her son along.  ”Alright, you’ve got everything you need to pass the Genin Exam with flying colors.  How about I teach you something you’ve been bugging me about for quite some time now?” As Ako finished her question, Yukio’s eyes widened in surprise.  He had been asking for elemental chakra lessens for some time.  He already knew what his affinity was and how to change his chakra into Water natured chakra, but he had yet to learn any techniques for it. ”This is a simple technique and isn’t very powerful, but it’s a good jumping off point to learning other water based techniques.  Pay attention and copy what I do.” Yukio nodded vigorously as his mother began inhaling slightly and then performed two hand seals, Dragon and then Dog.  She then spit what looked like a senbon out of her mouth at the tree which they used for target practice.  It moved fairly quickly, about the speed of a thrown senbon (at least if Yukio was the one throwing it) and pierced the target and slightly into the tree, just as a real senbon would have.  Ako looked back towards her son, noting the sparkle and fierce determination on his face.  She could practically hear his internal monologuing.

’This is it! This is the first step onto my path of greatness! Soon all shall know the name of Senju Yukio and tremb-!’ Yukio spluttered from his mother’s flick to the forehead.  She shook her head and motioned for him to get on with it.  The young Senju sighed dramatically, and then turned toward the target tree and began circulating his chakra.  His mother watched with keen eyes, looking to correct any mistakes she may spot.

”Remember, gather just a bit of chakra at your mouth and begin changing its nature slowly.  You don’t want to change it all at once and suddenly have a mouthful of water you aren’t prepared to shape with your hand signs.  As you practice this on your own you’ll get faster and faster with it.  Once you reach the threshold with your chakra shaping, and it’s an intuitive feeling, form the hand seals for Dragon and Dog, and spit forcefully.  This will release the chakra and form the water senbon.  Accuracy comes with repetition.” Yukio focused on his mother’s words and did his best to listen to them.  Once he reached the point she described, he formed the seals as she instructed, quickly moving from Dragon to Dog, and then spit forcefully.  The sensation of chakra combining with his own spit to form water in the shape of a sharp senbon was very strange, and his accuracy was abysmal, which, in his defense, wasn’t surprising considering you don’t really aim with your mouth very often. ”Very good! I wasn’t sure if you’d manage to shape the senbon properly on your first try.  Don’t worry about the accuracy, that comes with time.  Go on, try some more!” Ako encouraged her son, proud of his progress. Other shinobi parents thought she and her husband were strange for keeping him back until such an old age, but was it so wrong to want your child to have a safe and happy life? She knew how smart Yukio was – had they allowed him into the Academy at the standard age, he would have ended up skipping several grades and graduating early.  An early graduation means an early ninja career, and young ninjas die, often. She watched as he gathered his chakra and formed the seals slightly faster this time. Yukio spit once more, this time the water senbon actually hit the tree, rather than disappearing into the woods beyond. His face held a look of supreme concentration as if he was determined to master this technique then and there.  Once again Yukio took a short inhale, molded his chakra, and spit out the water senbon, this time striking the target zone, although the hit was low and to the right. Two more tries saw him score his first bullseye, and the consecutive tries after that all were perfect hits in the center of the target. Yukio then began to run while attempting the technique, which required fairly significant adjustments of aim.  He silently cursed his lack of a moving target; he was certain it would be even more difficult to hit someone actively dodging.  His mother simply watched on, happy that her son was striving so hard. Finally, after sufficient practice of the technique such that even when running he was hitting consistent bullseyes, Yukio ceased his training and bowed low to his mother.

”Thank you, Kaa-san, for your assistance with my training. I will seek out a proctor and schedule my Genin Exam at once.” Yukio bowed once more. He was truly blessed, to have such skilled parents who could teach him techniques such as this. Yes, it was weak and certainly wouldn’t kill anyone he struck with it.  It was simply one more tool in his tool belt, another step on the pathway to shinobi mastery and his powerful destiny.  Another glint reached Yukio’s eye, and he looked longingly towards the Hokage Monument. ’I have begun my journey. Tomorrow I will become a Genin. Then, I shall begin my training in earnest, completing missions around Hi no Kuni and beyond, fulfilling the will of Aokidanza-sama, spreading the greatness of Konohagakure far and wi-!’ Once again Yukio splutters out of his reverie as his mother lightly smacked the back of his head.

”Enough! Get inside and get washed up for lunch! And don’t forget you still have plenty of chores around the village you need to complete in addition to your Genin Exam! I don’t want you getting excited and forgetting about that!” Ako continued to berate the young man as the two entered into their abode.  As they removed their shoes and Yukio made to close the door, he cast one more glance towards the Hokage Monument.

’Soon.’

[EXIT]

---

WC: 2,082
+20 stats, 5 Speed, 5 Chakra, 10 Vigor
250/250 for Transformation Technique
250/250 for Tree Climbing/Surface Walking
250/250 for Genjutsu Release
500/500 for Body Flicker
500/500 for Water Release: Mouth Shot
332/1000 for Water Release: Wild Water Wave