Stormy Sands

There it was. That earthy smell that came about in the air every so often. That damp sand type of smell. Yaijōrama always enjoyed this smell because he loved what followed next. It wasn’t often that it happened but when it came, it was always something Yaijōrama enjoyed watching.

Rain was on the way, its storm clouds rolling over the distant sand dunes. A flash of lightning streaking across the dark and grim clouds. Lightning was something that Yaijōrama always admired. It was so quick, yet so powerful. It’s like that in nature but also in ninjutsu. Yaijōrama had always known that lightning was a powerful element, but he had a natural affinity to water. Water in nature wasn’t a natural conductor, but in ninjutsu? Well Yaijōrama didn’t know yet, he only knew he had the potential to learn water release ninjutsu, he wasn’t currently there yet.

Yaijōrama stomped out of the house in dark brown boots. Covering his legs was a pair of blue overalls which hung over his shoulders. Underneath a dark brown t-shirt hung loosely on him. Topping it all off was a navy blue bucket hat that rested on top of his hair, which was flowing down behind him.

Yaijōrama made his way through the chili farm that surrounded his home. He was heading towards a clearing, in the direction of the storm clouds. All the while he walked, his hands were resting in his overalls and he whistled. Admiring the sights of the nature around him.

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WC: 251 - 251 Total

The storm clouds finally made it over the hill tops and was overhead. The open sandy field stretched out in front of Yaijōrama. He was in the training grounds, but he picked a spot that could provide some seclusion. He was here for two reasons, both of which so happened to go hand and hand with each other.

The first reason why Yaijōrama was here today was to watch the rain. Well not just watch but to be immersed in it. The weather could be gentle, like a light shower giving life to the world. Allowing the cacti plants to absorb the water, not knowing when they would receive such nurishment next. The weather could also be violent and wrathful. Rain could strip away at the very foundations of a building, causing it to collapse and fall under its own weight. Yaijōrama had hoped that this rain would be a downpour. He wanted to be drenched in the rain because he needed plenty of water.

His second reason for being here was to train. He wanted to learn more about elemental ninjutsu, more specifically water style. He had heard that having existing water around made it easier to use water style jutsus. Probably something to do with not needing to use chakra to make the water or something. Either way he didn’t care, Yaijōrama just knew it would help him achieve his goal as long as he was willing to put in the work towards it.

As Yaijōrama took a deep breath he felt a small splash on his nose. Before the sounds of rain coming down started to project throughout the area.

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WC: 273 - 524 Total

The training grounds of the Water Gardens of Hoshigakure, a place that Yamato honestly found piece with.  These grounds have not changed much at all since he was there as a kid, he again could remember the first time that Team Winter was formed and he meet with Ayato and Geni along with his former sensei…He looked into the distance and ate a few pecans he cracked with care and chewed silently as he listened to the moving water, the air swirling about, and the individual larger insects like beetles and birds making their respective noises.  Today should be a nice day to relax, and he had the manipulated fabric mask nearby, it sat with his katana as he did not have any guard duties or training with his team so for once…he had time to reflect.

WC: 137

The rain poured down over the area. Causing the once course and dry sand to clump together as it grew wet. Puddles began to form on the ground around Yaijōrama, each of which being varying sizes. The boy pulled his hands from inside his overalls and slowly started to perform hand seals. His eyes focused on one of the puddles nearby, the closet one. The jutsu he was attempting to perform was Water Prison. Though he was able to perform the hand seals correctly, nothing happened when he completed them.

Yaijōrama let out a deep sigh afterwards. The rain made his hair cling to his face, though he didn’t mind. His eyes scanned around the field and his vision was overall distorted by the rain. He couldn’t see much but what he could see, he made out a figure in the distance. ;; Who’s that? ;; Yaijōrama questioned himself and slowly went to approach. Each step he made on the ground caused his feet to sink in just a little into the clumpy sand under his feet.

While he was here to train, he never was one to pass up the chance to talk to someone new and with him becoming a genin, there were a lot of new people to meet. Yaijōrama went to approach the figure in the distance and he noticed they were eating something. Curious he kept moving and soon the boy was able to fully see the person before them. The first thing he noticed was their shinobi headband which wasn’t wrapped around their head, but located on their bicep. “Hello!” Yaijōrama called out, while he was only four meters away, the rain was loud enough he had to yell some over it.

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WC: 286 - 810 Total

Rain…did he not even look to the sky when he left that morning, what an auspicious thing.  “Annoying…”  He said with a sigh before moving to practice a few simple movements from the sword technique he was studying currently.  His breathing was even and his focus was aimed at only this goal.  Well that was easier said than done as the downpour soon became like white noise to him, but he still continued until finally he heard a voice over the sound of the white noise.  “Wha…oh there was another person here training that is right.”  He said as he was called out to, Yamato waved to him before taking a few more minutes to finish the technique in the pouring rain.  Once finished he would sheathe the non existent blade and move to where the other youth was training.  He then looked at the growing clumps of mud and raised an eyebrow.  “So what is it that you are training in?  This looks like you are trying to build a mud hut to be honest and while that seems like a fun way to pass the time…I do not believe I would be helping with that.”  He said with an honest smile.  Off in the distance he could see the water gardens flooding a bit, but it was alright since they were all plants that desired copious amounts of water as it was.  Yamato was feeling a little weighed down by the water soaking his gear so he used the heat from his latent chakra to bolster his body and keep him warm.

WC:264
TWC:665

Yaijōrama watched Yamato carefully. Clearly he was here to train just as Yaijōrama was but he practiced without a blade? He was doing blade work motions but maybe it was the rain, some jutsu, or Yamato was truly practicing without one. Yaijōrama returned the wave that Yamato gave him and he patiently waited for him to finish up his practicing.

Yaijōrama didn’t mind the coldness from the rain. He was wearing clothes that were normally for the heat, but the long sleeved t-shirt helped to contain some of his body heat. Yaijōrama straightened up some when Yamato finished and turned towards him. He went to brush some of his hair out of his face, despite it clinging to him.

“I was actually practicing a water style jutsu… But I wasn’t really able to do it correctly.” Yaijōrama let out a small chuckle, before walking forward towards Yamato. When he was less than a meter away, Yaijōrama went to extend his right hand. “Yaijōrama Senju, it is a pleasure to meet you. What’s your name?” If Yamato shook his hand or not, Yaijōrama eventually dropped it and went to place his hands inside of his overalls.

Yaijōrama had seen many people come and go in the training grounds. It’s where the shinobi of Hoshigakure trained after all. Though he never saw anyone higher than a jounin here, he figured anyone else had a special training area. But he was curious about Yamato, he was practicing with nothing though he looked like he should have had a weapon in his hand. Was it some kind of shadow training? Similar to shadow boxing? Yaijōrama didn’t know but clearly Yamato did.

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WC: 277 - 1087

Practicing a water style jutsu and he ended up in this mud pit?  He wanted to chuckle but kept it to himself as the young shinobi introduced himself while holding a hand out in greetings.  The youth was a member of the Senju clan, named Yaijōrama.  He wore overalls and clothing to keep warm and Yamato shook his hand.  “Yamato Senju, surprise surprise we belong to the same clan.”  He said with a polite smile, he could tell there was some sort of question for how he was practicing his weapon forms without an actual weapon.  “I can see that you might have questions concerning what I was doing over there?”  He asked while pointing back at where he was just at with his right thumb.  “I was just going through basic weapon forms, the same as how a shinobi that uses their fists to fight their enemies would.  A type of shadow boxing I guess you could say.”  Yamato then looked at the young male shinobi for a minute before finally asking.  “So show me the jutsu you were working on, I know a little of the water style as well and I might be able to offer some pointers on what you are working on…if you do not mind of course?”  He was polite, it was the beginning of establishing a reputation as the Senju clan shinobi…he would likely be pressed for information later once word found its way back to this kid’s family so he was cautious.

WC:250
TWC:918

;; Another Senju? Does he know wood style? ;; Yaijōrama thought to himself the question but he also started to think about the man who originally taught him Wood Style and how to use it. He hadn’t seen that shinobi again after their initial meeting, he was curious about what happened to him. After the two shook hands, Yaijōrama went to drop his hand. “Oh you were shadow boxing? My brother does that all the time! He says it's a good way to perfect your technique.” Yaijōrama smiled brightly towards Yamato with a closed eyed grin. Though afterwards he spoke once again.

“Heh. I don’t really know how to show you. Because I can’t perform the jutsu properly… Best I can do is the hand seals but something just isn’t clicking. But I would love some pointers.” Yaijōrama went to take a couple of steps back after speaking, from Yamato. He stepped over a decently large puddle about 1 meter in diameter and let his gaze travel towards the puddle. Yaijōrama once again brought up his hands and pressed them against each other. Before he started to perform the hand seals for Water Prison jutsu. Or at least what he thought were the hand seals to Water Prison. Snake, Hare, Horse, Snake was what he performed and as he moved through the hand seals the puddle vibrated slightly. But once he finished the last hand seal, the water went still once again.

“I don’t know why it isn’t working. I have the hand seals right, don’t I?” Yaijōrama looked towards Yamato with a confused expression. He was another Senju and the boy was trusting, he hoped Yamato would be able to teach him whatever he knew… If he was willing.

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WC: 288 - 1375 Total

When he was answered enthusiastically about his shadow boxing Yamato gave a smile and nodded with a slight dip of his head.  The young Senju explained he was learning a water style jutsu and that he knew hand seals decently well, but was still falling short.  “Go ahead then show me.”  He said as he watched the seals and then the target being the puddle a short distance away from the pair.  Yamato thought back on his instruction of water style jutsu and held up a hand as he remembered the Water Prison Jutsu…the seals the kid was doing were almost there, but they were still off.  “I think you may have actually missed something when you researched that technique.  The proper seals are; Snake, Ram, Horse, Hare.  Try it again, I am sure you will be able to meet the mark this time.”  He said the names and performed them to give a visual for young Yaijōrama, even giving him some motivation as well.  It benefitted the entirety of the village if this shinobi were to learn.  However he was eager to see how developed this senju was with his own techniques, if possible he might try to pick a few techniques the youth knew that he did not.

WC:210
TWC:1,128

;; Snake, Ram, Horse, Hare? ;; Yaijōrama thought to himself and he recalled the hand signs he had just performed. The last one he performed was Snake instead of Hare which could explain why the jutsu didn’t work how he wanted it to. But he watched Yamato carefully as he performed the same set of hand signs back towards him. Yaijōrama assumed he didn’t mold any chakra when he did so, because nothing happened but he trusted Yamato’s instructions. He seemed older than he was and given his stance he had a bit more confidence.

“If this doesn’t work, you owe me a bowl of ramen and a hot drink!” Yaijōrama gave Yamato a bright smile before bringing his hands up once more. This time he performed the hand signs at a much slower pace. “Snake, Ram, Horse, Hare.” Yaijōrama uttered each word with each hand sign and once he got to the last one, the puddle quickly rose. A bird had just happened to land near the puddle for a drink but was quickly met with the Water Prison jutsu. “HA! You see that, Yamato?” Yaijōrama pointed towards the prison, but since he wasn’t keeping contact with the jutsu, the water fell from around the bird allowing it to fly off.

Yaijōrama went to turn towards Yamato after performing the jutsu and he smiled before going to bow before him. “Thank you, Mister Yamato.” Yaijōrama spoke before he moved to stand straight up. “What other jutsu do you know! You said you were a Senju right? Do you know Wood Style?!” Yaijōrama was a hyper kid, though it was clear he was trying to keep from being too energetic.

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WC: 278 - 1653 Total