-One week ter-
Pov: Kurenai
"Haaaa! Haaa!"
"Kanata... maybe take a rest, your breathing is sounding like screams at this point" Kenzo suggests.
"Why did I!? Ever!? Decided to let you teach me something!?!?!? You are a monster!! Monster I say!" Kanata yells out as he breathes loudly and deflects ten more balls thrown by Kenzo.
"Please stop shouting guys... I am trying to concentrate" Katsuko tells them and goes back to meditating in her sword stance.
...
"How is that new manager of you guys? Has he been treating you well?" I ask.
"We haven't seen him since you saw him, he leaves paperwork in the mornings and even started making Kenzo do extra hours..!" Kanata shouts.
"Did you meet him Kenzo?" I ask.
"Yeah, said he was super busy and all that... he then slipped on my roof tiles and I had to catch him before he broke his neck... he then pleaded that I take on some extra responsibility... the dudes a nutcase but I don't mind the extra stuff, pretty nice actually" Kenzo tells me.
Hmm.... as long as they have a safety net to fall into it sounds fine, but if he messes up and ends up putting my students in harms way than I have to take my team back no matter what... its fine for now however, he was Anbu so he probably got a leg injury and is adjusting to a very new position and area of work, I am sure the Hokage pced someone competent in that position.
"Right... if you need anything make sure to come to me, I haven't met this man so I don't know his character yet" I respond, his true character that is.
"You mean awkward and bumbling?" Kanata mocks but gets hit in the head.
"Pay attention! Don't let this ball pass!" Kenzo says and throws another at his head.
"Aim lower! Your throws make those soft balls hurt!" Kanata compins.
...
Sometimes I love training these goofballs.
---
-That afternoon-
Pov: Kenzo
*Crash!*
My cw sms into the target and I pull back and start to unfold my shape shifting.... I havent learned much of anything have I? I can do basic shapeshifting like looking like someone else and these cws... but I cannot progress further.
How do I attempt to learn something else? I can make vague shapes but I cant really use them well... when Naruto released a bit of that things chakra... he had better cws then me.
How?
Why?
Is it because that thing is a natural shapeshifter? I have heard many tales surrounding demons and changing form is always something they do.
What else... there was that water cn in the mist, forgot the name but they can form themselves into an element.
...
Maybe I need help on what I should be doing? I can instinctively transform but maybe I need more information to help along my shaping.
Should I study a creature and hope to understand why its cws work and mine don't?
what creature then, and should I start with cws or something easier to determine if this works or not?
Lets not start with something big... and it would be much better if I learnt from someone who knows their stuff- so animal lovers in Konoha, summons would help so they can speak to me.
I could ask the Inuzuka and the Aburame for help... but they wouldn't just hand over that information for free would they? Beast transformation is quite literally what Inuzuka do and the Aburame livelyhoods rely on the secrets of their bugs...
Kurenai doesn't have any summons and my new manager... me cant help.
...
I just got a really stupid idea.
The only reason I find human shaping easy is because I am one... why don't I try mimicking other animals and see what happens?
...
Its stupid.
...
People will ugh at me.
...
Damnit.
I sit down and listen intently to the nature around me, I wait for whatever catches my interest, the first animal to enter my hearing range will be the one I focus on.
A few moments pass and I listen to the trees sway, I listen to the grass being blown in the cold evening breeze and I focus on the slithering of a common snake enter into the forest area...
A snake? I could learn from that... snakes... lets try to learn how it bites and copy that, I doubt I can slither... baby steps first.
I close off my ears to everything else and focus on the snake, its heart beat, its organs moving, its blood pumping, its body slithering and its fangs quivering as it approaches a mouse hiding in the roots of a tree.
I wait as it does... it curls its body up preparing for an attack- it can wait- it can strike at the right moment.
Minutes pass and the mouse leaves the roots... it slowly trots through the grass and eventually finds himself under the gaze of that snake.
I hold my breath in anticipation as I watch and wait for it to strike.
*Snap!*
I memorize every movement to the best of my ability as the snake snaps the mouse in two and crunches its jaw down onto it... its fangs impale the poor creature as it begins to slowly eat.
I repy that image in my mind over and over again... my body instinctually starts to shape into something else... no... I don't have enough yang energy to shape my neck that long... my arm however can mimic a snake...
My skin hardens, mimicking snake scales and my hand starts to form two fangs on my middle and pointer finger... no that isn't right- I need more information.
I need to listen closer.
...
Hours pass as I track and follow this one snake, I focus entirely on it and make sure that my fingers are primed to become snake fangs... my wrist flexible and my arm granted more movement.
The fangs are easy... the wrist too.
But adding segments to my arm like a spine is not- making my arm spine like is terrifyingly hard, my bones are not meant to act like that, it cant function as well off the ground and it struggles to find support.
...
Hours more go by and I start to mix my benefits with the snakes benefits... my arm isn't spine like anymore, just much more flexible and strong enough to suddenly shunt forward without breaking under the unique movement.
I abandon the fangs and mix them with my bone cws, making two prominent cws that have a greater base for piercing and sshing... while also keeping the deadly points of the fang.
You could barely call this a snake shape anymore... its more than that now.
I take a breath and un-focus from the snake I was currently following, the many snakes I had followed surely gave me great insight, my entire hand is no longer bone and makes my cws much stronger and sharper.
I should follow a cat or something ter to try and improve my cws even more.
I touch my wrist and slowly shape my hand to have cws on every finger... much better, now it functions as intended while giving me much more sshing power.
I then undo the transformation at a much faster rate than normal... all I have to do to get C-rank shifting is add more shifting knowledge and instinct to my body.
Today was just a snake... imagine what I could do with adding tigers to my cws... Bears to my hide... I could grow tails and wings... I really need to start training this full time.
The cold morning air catches me from my thoughts and I realise how long I spent out here...
I need to get back home and get started on my paperwork for the morning, Ryū has stuff needed to finally get this sub department going and I also have to genjutsu my brother... now where am I?
...
Wait- am I on the southern side of Konoha? That sounds like the main gate... how did I go from eastern side to southern? I really shouldn't of paid so much attention to that snake.
I walk out of the forest and start picking off the branches and leaf's stuck in in my hair... and dusting off my dirt covered clothes as I walk up the main street and weave through the smaller streets to reach my apartment.
Damn- I got quite a lot of curious stares... and annoyingly a few amused ones, they definitely watched me follow that thing slowly for ages didn't they?
I open my door and take off my jacket before taking some paperwork from my safe and pcing it on the bench to write on.
*Mmmm* *Snap!*
I hear Naruto mumble as he wakes up and I snap my fingers to put him under a genjutsu.
"Morning... O..." he stretches and gets up to go to the bathroom.
"Morning Naruto" I reply and lick my finger before turning the next page into the code of conduct within my sub department... pretty much nothing considering that I work in a pce designed to torture people.
I sign the page and flip it once more.
---
Pov: Naruto
"Hey O- where did you go st night?" I ask as I put my clothes on.
"Followed a pretty cool snake... had a burst of inspiration... etcetera" He replies and I nod.
...
Sounds unique but I just woke up and I am not unpacking Kenzo's story today.
I head for the door and catch a sandwich as Kenzo throws me one, when did he make that?
"Thanks O, see you ter" I wave and head out for the academy.
"Remember to check for genjutsu" I hear him say as I shut the door.
I didn't notice anything different in the apartment... maybe its a weather thing today, the newspaper said it was meant to be sunny today... so that hasn't changed- no its not a weather thing at all... maybe he switched my shoes? Nope the feel is the same.
Pants feel fine and I believe my shirts alright... yeah no its not a few colours off like st time, the civilians seem alright and the birds act normal today.
...
I stop and pull out the sandwich from my pocket... I pce it back in... and take it out.
Sandwiches don't weigh that much- but it feels fine in my hands... just not the pockets of my jacket.
I drop the wrapped sandwhich in my pocket.
...
Heavier drop and drag on the sandwich- my jacket is longer, I undo the genjutsu and watch as my jacket turns into Kenzo's... well not my fault if it comes back pink right?
Wait- why is it so dirty? What was he doing in this thing? I turn around and sprint back to my apartment and enter to change into my jacket.
...
Did he leave already? Didn't he just get home? Haaa... lets not focus on that right now, I grab my jacket and head for the Academy once more.
...
After a quick sprint I enter the cssroom and sit in my seat, Iruka gives me a curious look as I make it barely on time.
I smile at my friends and give a thumbs down to Sasuke who ignores everyone as usual.
Arrogant idiot- just you wait I will beat you today!
"Now that we are all here we will be starting the day off with a check up on your kunai throwing- then a few spars before basic training" A few people groan out loud as we all get up and start marching out to the yard.
Soon we start throwing kunai and... well lets just say I haven't been training these with Kenzo around.
"Naruto... that's your target there" Iruka-sensei points to the target in front of me as I have hit the one next to it.
...
I knew that... better not tell him I did though, I really am in need of more Kunai training.
And after the throwing we go to my favourite bit of the Academy! The sparring! The one thing I can cim to be good at... maybe Genjutsu spotting but that's half a skill at best.
We all gather around the sparing circle and wait our turns as students spar each other, I want to spar with someone like Choji or Kiba- and if I am really lucky I could get a shot at hitting Sasuke.
"Naruto- Shikamaru!" Iruka calls and I sigh.
"Going to forfeit again?" I ask sadly as we walk up and perform the seal of confrontation.
"What a drag... you are better than me, what's the point..." He yawns and raises his hand to salute.
"I wasn't always... tch- should try at least" I frown as we perform the seal of reconciliation and leave.
Was really hoping for a good spar.
"No way, you're like a well trained beast with how you fight- relentless in vigour and skill" Shikamaru yawns again as we stand and watch the others go up to fight.
"Really? Aren't I at the bottom of css still" I ask.
"...what? No...? Do you not... never mind, what a drag- you are fourth in the css within sparring, overall you are... somewhere averaging" He yawns once more as he replies.
"Did you sleep bad st night or something?" I question.
"Only got nine hours..." He replies.
...
---
-End of the day-
Pov: Kanata
*Smack!* *Pow!* *Wham!*
I relentlessly train against Kenzo who is going easy on me today, it is very obvious he didn't sleep.
...
*Sm!* *Pow!*
That's why he brought Lee to help him train me- that's the team member of Neji, someone I cannot show weakness too!
"Keep going! I believe!" He cheers me on.
He is pushing me to my limits, my pride is getting stamped on as my hands are red and rough from hours of training... the wrists have stopped hurting.
"The power of youth shines brightly in you!!!" Lee yells.
"What's happened with you recently? Youth? Is that a new trend I missed?" Kenzo asks.
"The power of YOUTH flows through us all! We can do anything as long as we train hard and eat well!" Lee replies..
...?
"Did you join a church? Is this some scam you got caught in?" Kenzo asks in worry.
"What..? No- Kenzo, the power of youth! Gai-sensei isn't a scam! Its like you said, higher the hurdle, higher the jump!" Lee calms down to a lower voiced yell in reply.
It gives me a break as Kenzo interrogates Lee in what his sensei is teaching him... I feel like I cant breath and my body is drenched in so much sweat.
....
...
..
.
When did I decide to put this much effort into these kind of things? Didnt I love to py violin? Look what I am doing to the hands I trained so well to py...
I sit on the ground and look at my palms in wonder... why did I accept that bet from Kenzo... and why did I cim to be capable of beating the likes of Neji.
I y down on my back and sigh.
Because I wanted to break from the violin... my mother never asked me to do it, she just believed I was gifted in it like all mothers who wish well for their children... I was the one who got attached and I was the one who trained so much that it hurts to separate from it.
I just wanted to make her happy... and I suppose ninja work is another avenue to do so without injuring my wrists... I suppose its not physical. Its all psychological and today proves that, my wrists don't hurt because I have some condition... its because I cant help but to py violin.
I am gd I made the rash decision to cheer up Katsuko... pushing myself for this team is what's helping me the most right now.
"Want to keep going?" Kenzo asks from afar, now having made sure Lee didn't join a cult.
"Yeah... just ten minutes" I reply as my body is now slowly shutting down.
"Then Lee- help me show him the second stage of his training, so he is better prepared for the future" Kenzo says and removes his jacket before entering a taijutsu stance.
"Alright! Lets spar then Kenzo!" Lee yells and immediately starts throwing hands.
*Smack* *Sp* *Tap!*
I listen to the spar and furrow my eyebrows before sitting up straight and watching them.
What...? Kenzo can deflect all that? How is he doing that?
Lee punches forward and Kenzo sps it away masterfully... Lee tries for a knee sm but Kenzo pushes his knee back down and with his other hand pushes Lee backwards.
His strength is amazing- and his taijutsu is too... when did he train to be so good at that defensive taijutsu? Its not just the deflecting, the stance and the steps- every muscle movement is amazing...
I have a lot of work to do in order to catch up to him.
I sigh and get my sore legs to stand as I prepare for more deflection... it has honestly made me better at it, just need to keep at it for a few more days until Kenzo is satisfied and then I can move on to sparring with him.
*Smack!* *Sm!* *Pow!
Kenzo effortlessly blocks and deflects every blow sent his way, often dodging when Lee sends something powerful and like a wall never taking a step back.
...!
But Lee is smiling... he doesn't see this as bad for him, and if I could guess what he is thinking... Its that Kenzo just became an amazing sparring partner to get past the gentle fist.
Those deflections and blocks... he really did think about what would be best for me... if Neji gets too close and I can perform like Kenzo can... then a few seconds of time could allow me to send ninjutsu at Neji as I block him.
They eventually stop and Kenzo who just stopped a second ago without warning pelts a ball at me- *Smack!*
...
I look to my hand that instinctively acted and gnce towards the rolling ball on the ground.
*Woosh!* *Smack!*
More balls are thrown without warning and I deflect them as well... I am getting better and better- just you wait Neji! Im going to make an example of you!
For Katsuko I need to beat you!
Thanks for reading :)
