Kirigakure Training Facilities: Speed Training

Ryusame woke up groggily in his bed. He didn't remember getting home the previous night. For a moment he blinked into what he thought was bright sunlight streaming in from his window, only to find as his vision came into focus that he was looking at a reflection on the wall. Despite giving his vision a few moments to adjust when he rolled over he was blinded by the sky outside his window. Groaning in pain he pushed himself up against the wall and waited another five minutes. I can't remember the last time the sun was out like this, he thought to himself.

His room was small and messy, with very little in the way of furnishings aside from the lumpy futon mattress that took up about ninety percent of the floor space. Until about a month ago the room had been an old shed on the edge of his family's meager compound, stuffed floor to ceiling with old junk and broken tools. When he had been promoted to Genin he had been given permission to clean it out and turn it into living quarters. The room was still a little musty and at night it got much colder than the main house, but Ryusame loved having a space of his own.

After a quick shower in the main house, a somewhat run down but comfortable three bedroom that dominated the tiny islet that his family owned, Ryusame took off for the Training Facilities using the Body Flicker. The previous night's work had shown him a gap in his abilities that desperately needed to be addressed before he felt confident taking on any missions for the village. This is the last step, he thought as he travelled. After this I'll finally be ready to serve as a real ninja of the Mist.

He arrived at a compound near the Academy in a blur. Compared to the Research and Development district the security there was basically nonexistent, but there were a couple of reasons for that. First and foremost the particular compound that he had chosen was designated for Genin. As such there really wasn't much around worth stealing. Even if there was, there were so many ninja that made use of this place that stopping each one and checking their credentials would have been an arduous process. Ryusame assumed that there were some guards lurking about, but they were most likely hidden in nearby buildings where they could cover multiple targets at once, or else mixed in amongst the civilians. And of course there was the odd instructor volunteering their time who were all Chuunin rank at least.

Ryusame chose a corner of the yard that was out of the way and protected somewhat from the sun by an over hanging awning. A trio of training posts were set up in the shade there. The dark lacquered wood was covered in chips and scars from ninja blade work, salt crusting like scabs in some of the larger wounds. He gave one of the posts an experimental push and found that despite its appearance the different sections spun smoothly on hidden bearings. Each section had several random chunks of wood sticking out from if, some carved into mock blades, some into crude clubs. Striking any one would send the other sections spinning and force the ninja to duck and block.

Taking a few steps back Ryusame pulled out his newly purchased Tanto. Although it was a simple weapon he deeply admired it and had spent some time staring at the dark whorls in the blue scabbard. Whoever had crafted the thing and put a good edge on it, blunt enough to hold up to decent punishment and if not quite sharp enough to shave with still plenty lethal. He tested the blade for a moment, slowly practicing switching his grip back and forth like they had taught him in the Academy and managing not to drop the weapon in the dirt. Satisfied that he wasn't going to make a complete fool of himself he moved in and struck out at the post.

There was a satisfying thunk as his blade struck home, followed immediately by a fiery pain in his calf. In his eagerness he had stepped too far forward and one of the club attachments had come around to punish him for it. Ryusame had just enough time to figure out what he did before he crashed down on his right side, the blow having also swept the leg out from under him. With a groan he rolled over on to his back and stared up at the awning above him. This is going to be a long day....

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Word Count: 780 Words

Equipment Used:
Tanto

Jutsu Used:
Body Flicker: 10 AP

Remaining AP: 698/708

Ryusame leapt to his feet, startled out of his skin by Izu's sudden appearance. For once he was grateful for the lack of rain and with it the lack of mud as he tried to casually brush off his uniform with his free hand. "Izu-senpai, I, uh, I didn't hear you approaching. Yeah, my footing could definitely use some work." He tried to laugh off the comment to cover up his embarrassment. "I was really never much for these kinds of drills in the Academy. That's probably why I'm struggling so much now. I really wish that could tell my past self to pay more attention...."

The fact that she had been able to sneak up on him without him picking up on it at all was disturbing to Ryusame. Granted he was only a Genin, and by all accounts she was days away from being promoted to Jounin, but the idea that she could approach him at any time without him noticing exposed a weakness in him. A weakness that I need to recitfy, he thought to himself. She may not mean me any harm, but the other villages have Jounin too. I can't be this open to attack and observation.

Pushing the thought aside he returned to the moment "Well this is a little embarrassing, but I'm not here for any particular move. I recently finished my first puppet and...." He searched for a better way to phrase it, one that didn't sting his pride now that someone else would know about his failure, but he couldn't come up with anything. With a resigned sigh he carried on. "I'm not coordinated enough to use it. I can use the Puppeteer Technique no problem, but when it comes to actually applying it to the mechanisms in the puppet, well...." He make a jerky motion with one arm in imitation of the puppet's awkward first response to his command.

"But if you are willing to train me I would be forever in your debt. Probably literally, in fact, I've got a few thousand Ryo saved up from my stipend, but that's about it." Ryusame bowed his head, hoping that the gesture would augment his paltry offering enough to earn at least one lesson. At the same time he started making a mental inventory of everything he owned in an attempt to come up with some other form of payment. Of course, as with the Ryo, his status as a Genin combined with his family's humble status meant he had very little to his name.

Probably the only things of value that I have are that book, the scrolls, and my tanto, he thought. Well, that and my puppet, but I can't give that away and still have any honor as a Puppeteer Nin. I'd really like to keep the book since I haven't even gotten a chance to open it yet. Besides she's probably experienced enough that it's of little use to her anyway. The scrolls are probably the most valuable, but I'm unlikely to get another one of those anytime soon. Maybe my tanto? I'm no good with it anyway.... Damnit, I don't want to give up any of those things. But to be trained by a Momochi would be priceless, I can't just let this opportunity slip through my fingers.... He continued worrying at the problem while he waited from a response.

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Word Count: 564 Words

Remaining AP: 698/708