Raging Waters [Ashitaka/Specialty Flashback]

Techniques to Learn;
Water Cloak Armor - C Rank Custom (200 WC)
Water Release; Water Drill Technique - B Rank Custom (250 WC)
Ninja Art; Suiton Mist - D Rank Custom (150 WC)
Suiton Release; Water Creation - D Rank Custom (150 WC)
Peregrine Falcon Drop - B Rank (200 WC)
Lion Combo - B Rank (200 WC)
Leaf Strong Whirlwind - B Rank (200 WC)
Leaf Great Flash - B Rank (200 WC)
Leaf Destroying Rock Rise - B Rank (200 WC)
Shadow of the Dancing Leaf - C Rank (150 WC)
Earth Release Barrier; Earth Prison Dome of Nothingness - B Rank (200 WC)
Earth Release; Earth-Style Wall - B Rank (200 WC)
Earth Release; Opening Earth Rising Excavation - B Rank (200 WC)
Earth Release; Rock Lodging Destruction - B Rank (200 WC)
Earth Release; Rock Collapse - B Rank (200 WC)
Earth Release; Earth Spear - B Rank (200 WC)
Earth Release; Moving Earth Core - B Rank (200 WC)
Water Release; Water Bullet Technique - C Rank (150 WC)
Water Release; Gunshot - C Rank (150 WC)
Water Clone Technique - C Rank (150 WC)
Water Release; Waterfall Basin Technique - C Rank (150 WC)
Water Release; Wild Bubble Wave - C Rank (150 WC)
Water Release; Marine Battle Formation Technique - B Rank (200 WC)
Thousand Flying Water Needles of Death - B Rank (200 WC)
Water Release; Exploding Water Colliding Wave - B Rank (200 WC)
Water Release; Water Dragon Bullet Technique - B Rank (200 WC)
Water Release; Water Fang Bullet - B Rank (200 WC)
Water Release; Water Formation Wall - B Rank (200 WC)
Earth Release; Fists of Terra - B Rank Custom (250 WC)
Earth Style; Terra’s Grasp - B Rank Custom (250 WC)
Shadow Clone - B Rank (200 WC)

The deafening sound of the waterfall was constantly there. Constantly announcing to the world that it is still flowing. As the bay of the waterfall was an attest to fate’s twisted humor. Ari can relate to that, and right now thanks to Rin’s guidance. Ari finally acquired her second element, and that happens to be the water element. While inferior compared to her earth prowess, it’s still better against fire at least than earth is.

Either way, she wants to manipulate the water to protect her when earth cannot. In order to do so, Ari exerts suiton chakra after forming the necessary handseals as a veil of water cloaks her arms and torso. Albeit her concentration briefly faltered as she beamed with excitement over her accomplishment. To the point that the cloak dropped and splattered on the soil. The air was cold to her skin, but Ari practiced the technique once more. This time she kept her concentration to practice the motions. To manipulate the water as if it is an extension of herself as it protects her torso from damage.

Next on the list was to see if she can muster the concentration to learn another technique. It is another water technique, but this one Ari knows will definitely enhance her physical strikes against armored opponents. The handseals was the same three as last time, but this time the effect is different. The suiton spews from her lips before it wraps around Ari’s forearms up to her elbow. Unfortunately the strain was stronger than she had anticipated and resulted in the water splashing on the ground once more.

”Dammit... One more time!” Forming the three handseals once more, Ari spews the suiton chakra to cloak her forearms again. This time the current seems to accelerate rapidly as it flows just 5 inches past her fingertips. It resembled like she has a pair of spinning drills around her arms. Ari thrusts her right hand forward before alternating to the other palm thrust. Once she got the hang of it Ari beamed with a bright smile on her face.

”Alright! I’m one step closer to obtaining all five elements. I’m practically halfway there!” Of course she was speaking to herself as this was the odd part of the training grounds that was quite far from the Grand Facility. Closer to the small mountains in fact where the waterfall pours out from the cliff's edge. So she isn’t expecting anyone to show up here. As she didn't want to waste her energy fighting anybody, and simply focus on training for her techniques.

456 WC
[Learning Water Cloak Armor]
[Learning Water Release; Water Drill Technique]

It was strange being back here again. Home... not seen as a place where he could be safe, but one where he could change gears from protecting the city to improving his ability to protect it. And that meant both acquiring new equipment, and training. At this particular time, he thought to avoid all potential contact with other people, hence he chose this smaller training facility rather than the epic masterpiece that commanded the attention of anyone who so much as looked in the general direction of the Training Grounds. So it was that he practiced and wielded a weapon that had not seen the light of day since he'd forged it: the Wing Hammer.

He had brought it to a small chasm about 20 feet wide and 300 feet long, and into which a series of waterfalls not much wider than his shoulders on average poured their contents. It was while standing on the surface of a shallow and steady stream at the bottom of this chasm that Ashitaka practiced the last of the polearm techniques freely available in Konoha. Contrary to the weapon's class and size relative to its wielder, he performed a graceful dance of death in which the hammer's head lashed out in precise movements as it neatly sliced through the little waterfalls, leaving unnaturally precise trails of water droplets in its wake.

Incidentally, he was performing this training while blindfolded and using the sound made by the waterfalls and the hammer's head to guide his movements. So it was that he didn't notice his hands turning into wood and merging with the haft of the weapon as his chakra subconsciously flowed into it. As a result, when he tried to slide his hands to direct its course, he was surprised that they didn't move and overswung, slamming the hammer's head into the face of one of the cliffs he'd been practicing in between. It sounded like somebody had set a firework off indoors. Now not only was he stuck to his hammer, but it was also embedded deeply into the rock, and the previously harmless-looking waterfall was now pouring directly onto him, and he had no capacity to escape.


[Training: Moonlight Performance 389/150]

The Suiton element is still new and fresh to the young girl's mind. As such even though Ari accomplished a water drilling technique that could puncture through solid matter if Ari really wanted to. However, a bitter memory of a small group of genin were brought to mind. As one of them tried to light Ari on fire, but failed miserably in his surroundings that he ended up burning one of his teammates instead. Had Ari not pull him almost completely underground, the Genin would've torched the whole squad.

"Fire is incredibly dangerous… I know water is the strongest defense and offense against fire. However maybe I can weaken those fire techniques." She mutters to herself as that was her assessment. So Ari poured her efforts into delving into the bundle of scrolls that was set in her bag. Off to the side of the bay in fact. Eventually, Ari comes across a technique, and while a bit weak in aspects of combat. She understands the concept enough to render weak Katon techniques to near non-effective.

So Ari weaves the handseals together, and from her lips as she molded the Suiton chakra within her mouth. She spews out a mist that covers a small area in front of her. Not the kind of mist that lowers visibility severely like another can, but the mist is still visible to the naked eye. Still it was basic enough to get a grasp with.

The next technique was the weaker than the Waterfall Basin, a technique that Ari skimmed over. However Ari wishes to get the basics down for Suiton. Of course she kind of already skipped that step, but still learning and mastering the basics is still crucial. So Ari moved over to a spot where it was definitely soil and not stone or concrete. Ari strings together the handseals, and forming into the small spot in front of Ari is a small pool of clean water. She was a bit surprised herself as Ari didn't expect to grasp the basics so quickly. Still, she couldn't argue with the results.

The next part, and probably the hardest part to do depending on who speaks their opinion. The next part is to split herself in twine, or basically perform the infamous Shadow Clone jutsu. Sounds simple, the concept is the same as forming a regular clone only that these Shadow Clones can actually interact with the world. Forming the tiger hand seal, Ari begins to charge up her chakra as it molds with no element to call upon. Shaping it into a vague humanoid figure.

Eventually, Ari performs the Shadow Clone technique as a cloud of smoke briefly erupted next to her. Emerging from the smoke is an identical copy of Ari that mimicked her stance and action. Ari was intrigued with the shadow clone as she pokes her clone's cheek. It felt real, and it felt squishy. However that moment was dashed when a sound of what Ari thought was an explosion reverberated throughout the area. Causing both Ari and her shadow clone to flinch from the sudden sound attack. Ari swiftly grabs for her bag that contains the scrolls before she proceeds to climb up the cliff. Though her ears hurt from the sound, Ari felt like it came from beyond the Cliff's edge. Or at least that was the general area. So Ari and her shadow clone walked beyond the cliff and possibly into this chasm.

599 WC
[Learning Ninja Art; Suiton Mist]
[Learning Suiton Release; Water Creation]
[Learning Shadow Clone]

At first, Ashitaka struggled mightily to escape his inexplicable magic wooden bondage. This was made immensely more difficult by the water pouring relentlessly down on his head, which also prevented him from crying out for help even if he was willing to. Luckily, it was also hiding his tears of unbridled terror, the sight of which he was trying to keep Chika from when they first met. The boy manifested his Earth affinity about the same time as he developed the ability to walk, and every since then, large amounts of water have been the pinnacle of fear for him due to his propensity for swimming like a rock.

Still, as with every time he found himself with his head under water, he forced himself to take control over his body and emotions. He pulled his chakra back out of his hands, shattering the wooden gauntlets he had no intention of donning, and channeled it back into them as he slammed them into the face of the rock looming over him. With a thunderous rumble, a wall of stone sprouted from it, redirecting the waterfall away from him. Finally able to breathe and calm himself, he channeled his chakra into the water soaking his body and separated it from his body, forming it into a whip which he snapped around the haft of his trapped hammer near its head and pulled.

After some resistance, the weapon finally erupted free of its stony prison and nearly knocked Ashitaka over as he dropped his watery implement to catch it. Still, he had it now, and walked a few steps away from the spot where he'd been trapped before turning on it with a contemptuous sneer as he made first a Bear hand seal, then an Ox one and slapped his palms against the waterlogged earth at his feet. The earth warped before him, stone cracking and shattering as the entire section of cliff face was suddenly reduced in height by about two meters and the waterfall that nearly drowned him was choked off. The water feeding it simply redirected to the next nearest one.

It seemed that his entire life had been defined by submerging himself in his fears and facing insurmountable odds, even in such small and basic activities as training new Ninjutsu. But he lived to this day in spite of all that and would still live on no matter what, because in his eyes, that's what survival was: an endless, desperate struggle to see the next day. As much as he enjoyed the comforts of the city he lived in, the shadow of doubt never entered his mind that these comforts were also hard-fought for, and he owed it to the people here to take part in that fight.


[WC 463
Training: Earth Release- Earth Shore Return
Earth Release- Tearing Earth Turning Palm
Water Release- Water Whip]

The forest was unusually quiet, and while Ari usually isn't that versed in knowledge as some if not most of her peers are. She knows enough that the wildlife are only quiet when there's a predator or equivalent of a threat nearby. So the girl and her shadow clone do their best to remain hidden and they are kept to the absolute minimum. Eventually they come upon the great chasm that has multiple smaller waterfalls pouring into the chasm. It was honestly a work of art as the stones are saturated with moisture and slick with green moss.

While she didn't arrive in time to see what initially happened, Ari does arrive on time to witness Ashitaka seal one of the waterfalls as the earth spiraled inward on itself. Ari recognized that technique in fact. It was something Ari honestly debated to use against Chika until he levitated himself from the ground. Granted with how it turned out, Ari would have picked the Stone Pistol as that was at least deflective enough rather than the tearing earth technique. The memory of Nyguyen-sensei was still relatively fresh in her mind as he punched away those boulders. Albeit he still suffered injury from doing so, and Ari got an idea of how to do that or something similar without suffering injuries herself.

Ari charges a moderate amount of doton chakra within the core of her body as she extends both arms out in front of her. The process of refining the chakra and infusing into the earth around her was complex to say the least. However her skill in doton prevails as the ground around her cracked and gradually ascended before spiraling above her head. Dirt and stone meld together as mud from the water cloaks the vague form of a large hand that’s 5 meters in size. Ari turned to look up at the larger hand of earth with a look of wonder. Watching how the cracks are being sealed up with dirt and mud as the hand makes a low rumbling sound every time it moves the fingers. It was easily larger than her, yet it was something she didn’t think Ari could really create.

A smile crosses her lips as Ari raises her hand, and essentially high fives the large palm. Another thought occurred to her as to why can’t she encase her hands in earth? But then what would be the function of that technique? Ari’s hands were calloused and honed to deliver as much pain as possible to the other person. However she knows that the hand is also meant to grab, and if her opponents are getting trigger happy with those Ninjutsu. Then perhaps she’ll rob them of that pleasure. Making the next technique to be as hindering and painful as possible. So while maintaining her concentration on the large hand. Ari molds more chakra of the doton element of equal amount as before. Eventually, after concentrating into the flow of chakra, earth begins to encase her extended hand.

Wanting to see if it works, Ari lightly claps her clone’s shoulder with the encased earth, and it was a bit horrifying to watch the earth peel away from her hand onto the shoulder. Then watching it rapidly spread to both of the clone’s arms as it pulls the clone’s arms back. Where the doton connects by molding together and encasing the clone’s wrists uncomfortably tight. It was close enough, Ari figured, so she dismissed both the clone and the binding technique. Even the large hand was dismissed. Then the silver haired girl proceeded to walk over near the waterfall where the pool of water was deep enough.

With a grin on her face, Ari took a few steps back as she throws her backpack as far over the pool as possible. A good 20 meters out before the bag slaps against the trunk of a lone tree and the strap hooks onto a tall branch. Taking a couple of deep breath, Ari dashes forward before jumping over the edge. Her arms extended over her head before exclaiming loud enough for Ashitaka to hear her.

”BONSAI!!” Ari giggled before she plunged into the depths of the pool. A decent sized splash of water scatters across the surface. A couple of seconds would pass as Ari allowed the momentum from her fall to disperse before she swims back up. The second her face broke the surface of the water Ari takes a moment to catch her breath, albeit she isn’t aware that the Konohagakure headband that’s usually keeping her hair out of her eyes is now no longer present.

WC: 797
[Learning Terra’s Hand]
[Learning Terra’s Grasp]

After finally escaping from the harrowing experience with the waterfall and drying himself off, Ashitaka heard it: the most unsettling sounds in the world.

"Bonsai!" echoed throughout the chasm followed shortly by the distinct sound of a small but dense body violently impacting the water at its deepest portion some ten feet away from him. He didn't have a moment to consider how lucky she was that she wasn't a meter off in any given direction, seeing as how there was now a wall of water just under twice his height surging toward him. He didn't think of anything, really. It was largely by reflex that he took a powerful step in the direction of the wave and swung his hammer at it.

Unlike the stone just a very short while ago, the water cleaved apart cleanly, with the portion that would have been below the blade at his shoulder height being pushed down to just below his chest and the rest of the wave continuing on with its momentum largely undisturbed to sail over his head. In less than a second, it splashed against the cliff face behind him and rebounded off it, with no small amount of it falling down to completely soak him. As soon as he was able to raise his head again, Ashitaka regarded Ari with an expression one might expect from a housecat that was forced to take a bath. His cheek markings were noticeably absent. The kind he wore were non-permanent and tended to wash off whenever his face was exposed to water at high volume or pressure, another thing for him to hate about it.

"Ari. So good to see you again," he greeted her, his voice failing to carry his sarcasm as the soaked cliffs nearby amplified its resonant quality up until the nearest falls drowned it out. Then he noticed the radiant difference in her personality. "Assuming that you are Ari and not somebody using Ninjutsu to do unholy things with her body."

After taking a moment to consider how he was going to dry himself off this time, he ran through his mental list of jutsu that he was planning to practice, chose one, and made three hand seals in quick succession: rat, ox, dog. After a moment's concentration, he separated the water from his body and clothes, then formed it into a shell over the leather vest he was wearing. It didn't last long and fell away after a few seconds, but he didn't mind since his priority was getting the water off him in the first place. Not that it mattered much, since the damage was long since done and the prideful girl got a chance to see him at his lowest. Well, second lowest. If she'd gotten here a minute ago while he was still under the waterfall, that would have been a real nightmare. Especially if she'd saved him. He didn't know what she'd do if she thought he was as impotent as Nyg-sensei.

Then he looked down and noticed that his hands had merged with the wooden haft of his weapon again. Upon doing so, he really wished that he could just disappear, but unfortunately all of the various means of doing so required the use of hand seals, which were currently not an option. So instead he just stood there and resignedly awaited whatever mockery she could cook up on the spot to toss his way.


[WC 594
Training: Bukijutsu- Thundering Falcon Style
Suiton Release- Water Cloak]

To be honest Ari wasn’t really aiming to jump into the water so close to Ashitaka. But she didn’t really care as long as she didn’t land on him. That would have been painful to say the least for both of them. However she couldn’t have known that he’d react by swinging some kind of hammer at the direction of the water splash. Granted Ari was submerged at the time as well, so she had that going for her. When she was submerged, Ari was greeted with Ashitaka’s somewhat sarcastic tone.

”Nah, if someone was impersonating me they wouldn’t last long. Can’t really get away from that dumb facility without some Genin picking a fight with me.” She admits before she giggled once more as Ari’s stormy grey eyes shifted over him.

”A hammer eh? A bold choice if you don’t mind me saying. If you want to have something moving as a target practice, I can whip something up for ya.” Ari offers, albeit she witnessed her teammate utilizing the same technique she also learned not too long ago.

”Amazing right? Adding an extra layer of armor to protect the important organs and such is a great way to go.” Then Ari charges up her suiton chakra to which Ashitaka might pick up on early given his sensory ability, but she forms the tiger handseal and from the watery depths a couple meters off to Ari’s left. With a gesture of her hand, Ari presents the water clone of herself to Ashitaka.

”Nothing better than attacking a live target. Well, sort of alive, but at least you can smack against something better than uh…” Her eyes wander around the area as she was still mostly submerged in water except for her head.

”Whatever it was that you were practicing against earlier. Smack away chief.” On that note, Ari leans back to allow herself to float on the water surface while leisurely paddling away from the two. As she was reached roughly 10 meters away from the pair, Ari begins working on another technique. This one revolves around firing off a stream of water, and apparently it could be maintained as well.

So Ari weaves the four handseals as she charges up more Suiton chakra within the core of her body. Then the molded chakra travels up to her mouth, and with an exhale Ari releases a stream of water high in the air. Of course droplets rain back down on the pool, but still it was something Ari was working on.

---

The water clone of Ari stands at position as her shoulders appear to be relaxed, albeit her arms are raised to protect her torso if need be as there was a slight bounce to her. Shifting her weight from one foot to the other to keep her momentum going in case she needs to evade, and her hands aren't curled into a fist or even a cup. In fact they're open palms. Her stormy grey eyes remain focused on Ashitaka, albeit the clone doesn't seem like it's going to attack.

WC: 553
[Learning Water Clone Jutsu]
[Learning Water Bullet Technique]

"I'd have more sympathy for you if you didn't initially greet me with insults," Ashitaka replied bluntly. The suspiciousness of the apparently complete shift of her personality from the last time he'd seen her seemed to escape the foreign girl. Then she mentioned his current weapon.

"It's been a while since I've made the Wing Hammer, and I didn't want it to feel neglected even though heavy weapons aren't really my style." he replied, letting slip far more than he intended to. In his mind, the less people knew about him, the better. Every revelation of his capabilities was a security loss best reserved for the dire necessity of combat.

While he was working on de-woodening his hands and freeing his grip on his weapon, she continued being... unusually helpful and even complimented his use of the Water Cloak. He tried to respond, but she kept going on, referring back to her prior offer of help and blithely creating a water clone of herself for him to beat on. His gaze flicked to the clone, then back to its creator as he tried to process this girl.

"I'm not terribly fond of the idea of attacking even the image of someone I feel no particular malice towards," he protested, then shifted his grip as the wood covering his hands shattered and a surge of water chakra flowed down into the weapon making it appear to be coated in a self-contained river. "But it'd be rude to deny your offer."

In a sudden blur of motion, he quickly accelerated towards the clone, racing across the surface of the creek between the cliffs as though it were stone. Once he got within striking range, he would lash out with the hammer at shocking speed, then take an additional step forward and swing at it with an uppercut that started above and behind him. This last attack was significantly slower than the preceding trio, but one could reasonably expect an opponent struck by them to be too stunned to evade it. If successful, it would strike the clone with tremendous power far beyond what Ashitaka's base capability would indicate. A normal person hit with this attack, assuming they retained bodily integrity, would find themselves launched high enough to land back on top of the cliff Ari had just leaped from.

Unhindered by success or failure, the hammer's head would continue in its arc back over his body to punch into the water behind him, breaking surface tension and dropping him into it. Ashitaka was once again thoroughly soaked. Already feeling drained and starting to give up on the notion of ever getting dry today, he closed his eyes and imagined himself merging with the water. As he and his weapon became transparent and formless, he allowed the current to carry him back to Ari. As it happened, he would ordinarily be incapable of moving at all using this jutsu, so having the river help was nice. And it also helped his fear of drowning when he could just become the water and not even have to worry about breathing in the first place. Unfortunately, he had forgotten that Ari was not on that very short list of people who were capable of seeing through the technique.


[WC 568
Training: Bukijutsu- Flash Dance
Bukijutsu- Raptor Abduction
Suiton- Hiding in Water Technique]

Ari nods her head as Ashitaka explained his hammer. She can see how it could unleash some impressive destructive power. Even someone physically weak as her could make some craters with that thing. Granted she isn't exactly versed in handling a weapon like that, but she knows the basics to say the least.

"True I suppose, but I mean it beats trying to break your hammer in these walls right?" Ari responded to Ashitaka's hesitant answer. Although she has some ideas of how to substitute a moving target, but they would be wooden dummies that can't really fight back and can't change up their patterns. In a real fight the enemy has the ability to adapt and use their opponent's fighting style against them.

---

Water Clone Ari

The way Ashitaka carried himself prior to his launch sent a shiver through Ari's clone in anticipation. Granted her clone didn't have a lot of chakra either since water clones only take up 10% of her chakra. Even so the clone could still feel a bit of fear no matter how slight it was. It is the bodily instinct to react to something potential dangerous after all. Luckily his speed wasn't exactly equal to hers in terms of reacting.

The water clone didn't move from her position until Ashitaka lashed out with his hammer. To which she reacted by taking a quick step back as she leans away to just evade the sweep of his hammer. However, when Ari took a step back she coated her feet with chakra to stick onto the water's surface and used the momentum to cause it to slightly raise up. So the instant Ashitaka's hammer swung past her, Ari's water clone leaped forward with the same foot and her other foot pivots to begin the spinning motion. During of which if Ashitaka proceeds with the step for a powerful hammer strike.

Ari will attempt to throw a couple of punches at Ashitaka's exposed abdomen as she spins around him where the hammer wasn't beiny brought down from. If successful in the evasion maneuver, Ari will attempt a third strike against the back of Ashitaka's left shoulder. This third strike however is not a punch, and instead is an open palm with her fingers curled like they're claws. Striking swiftly that blurs to the normal genin's vision. If this palm strike hits, her fingers curl in further as they felt like claws digging into Ashitaka's muscle around the shoulder. Luckily the back of the body can take more punishment than the front could, but the purpose behind this technique will be revealed to Ashitaka if it hits. The nerves around the impact tingle as the muscles at and around the five points Ari's fingers struck begin to pulse. A mixture of ache and like his own muscles are quivering from the impact. To which his left arm is slightly not as responsive as before.

Stuff:

---

Ari tilted her head to look at the events unfolding over at the pair. If there is anything Ari is very confident in is her skill in close quarters. It was rather bold for Ashitaka to try for a frontal assault, but if anything Ari hopes that he'll learn from it. Additionally, Ari came here to learn techniques of her own. This place was perfect to learn some great water techniques, but the problem was that she isn't too sure how big these techniques were. The easy ones weren't that big, but just from reading the scroll about the water dragon sounded bad.

With Ashitaka submerging himself in water, Ari effectively climbed to stand on the water surface. Charging up a large amount of Suiton chakra, Ari begins weaving together the long combination of handseals. Normally it would someone like fresh Genin roughly two seconds to finish the combination, but Ari is able to get it done in just a little over a second. Upon the final handseal, Ari uses her water clone as the medium as the horrific change from body to a draconic body of water emerges into existence. The long body of water and the vague face of a dragon's head reminds Ari of a Chinese Dragon. Perhaps even a sea serpent, but Ari didn't have much time for enjoying the scenery. What was important is that this dragon was large, and since it is connected to the very same pool that Ashitaka is in.

Ari simply drops the technique as the dragon curled around her position, and the large body of water falls back to the pool which causes a heavy turmoil both on the surface and underwater. At first the water expanded away from Ari as it rose up in small waves, but then it rebounded from the cliff's wall and collects to Ari's position. Greatly raising her height for a moment before it went back down to normal.

Ari turned to face away from the village's direction. If Ashitaka has surfaced by now, Ari will look at him with a smile on her face.

"Swimming is fun and all. But for this one I suggest that you get on top of that cliff there. This next one is supposedly big, and I don't want it to come back and possibly wash is down the chasm." But then, Ari just acquired a wonderful idea. This chasm doesn't directly link to Konohagakure, but it does connect to one of the larger lakes around the village.

"Wait! I have a wonderful idea! How do you like the idea of surfing along a wave?"

Learning Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique
Learning Water Release: Exploding Water Colliding Wave

WC: 1052

Ari's clone danced around him in a vibrant display of her superior mobility. As he'd expected, she was physically improving much faster than he was, and that was before he started tiring. The Flash Dance was an inefficient maneuver and it was already tiring him, but since the clone made no effort to stop Ashitaka's hammer, well it didn't stop. With the water's surface tension broken, he released the hammer and let it sink to the bottom of the creek in an instant before standing on its haft, using his chakra to bind himself to it. This was much easier now that his feet, like his hands, would turn into wood and merge with the weapon whenever he did so.

His face was lowered to what was previously the height of his chest and right at level with the water clone's incoming fists, which had previously been intended for his abdomen. He takes the first blow as he makes the Tiger hand seal and then shoots a handful of water blasts at her from short range in an effort to drive her back, then makes the Ox, Tiger and Rat seals and the shots are followed by a solid stream of water. He didn't want to resort to these techniques like this, but it was really the only way he could conceivably keep up with her superior speed. He couldn't evade or defend himself from her attacks, so the only thing he could do was use his own to ward her off. Fortunately, whether it was a product of her own abilities' or the jutsu's, her blows had minimal effect on him. With any luck, his defenses would have disrupted at least her final attack, but if not, then he was going to be even more miserable for the rest of the fight.

Once submerged, however, Ashitaka was much more keenly aware of Ari's chakra flowing through the river and had the deeply unsettling feeling that she was about to do something big. This notion was intensified by the fact that soon he was no longer under the water and instead left staring at the giant dragon she'd made out of nearly the entirety of the tiny creek they'd been training on the surface of, from above since her jutsu had dislodged his hammer and thrown him into the air. Then she just dropped the technique and there was no longer anything keeping him from hitting the ground or cliff face. Curling up into a ball, he concentrated his Earth chakra around the part of his body that he was sure would make the first impact and splashed into the side of the chasm as though it was also made of water. The move made him punch several meters into the ground, and he had to turn around and swim back out to where he could see and interact with Ari again. He had no idea where his weapon was.

"On top of the cliff. Right, got it," he replied coolly as he turned around and tried to figure out how he was going to climb up from here. He was sure that his chakra could bind him to both elements that comprised the cliff face enough to compensate for its natural slickness, but he was really starting to feel pretty tired right now. In response to her question, he said, "I'd actually very much not like to go surfing along on a wave, thank you. I'm-" totally not going to admit that this entire situation was scaring him to the point of nausea and low-key disorientation "-getting tired. I'm not an especially energetic person to start with, and we've been grinding out a lot of intensive techniques out here."

Well, her more so than him, and by a wide margin. It was a strange feeling, falling behind like this. Like suddenly finding himself at the other end of a spectrum he'd spent so much time on as a gifted student, but now he was just an especially weak genin. One who was already running dangerously low on energy to the point where he started to wonder if he would make it home.



(CP remaining: 5/50 until Flash Dance drawback wears off, then 45/90)


[WC 722

Training: Suiton- Gunshot
Suiton- Water Bullet Technique
Doton- Subterranean Voyage]

As Ashitaka suspected, her attacks aren't really damaging even if it is directed at the chest. He'd still feel the pressure, but nothing more than that. Still, she's not here to deliberately hurt him either. Ari considers those punches to be a soft reminder that he could've been hurt from them. To his effort, forming the single handseal as his lips pursed with his cheeks slightly bulging with tension. Ari still proceeded to spin around him to avoid the water bullet as she was already in the motion to do so anyways.

However when as he strung together the next three handseals, Ari still had the superior speed on her side so she'd be able to strike against his shoulder. Damage wise initially there would hardly be any other than the muscles along his left arm are slightly slower to respond. None of which would stop him from executing the stream of water. In the water clone's defense, she will attempt to allow herself to fall with her back facing to the ground. It is an attempt to evade the stream of water from Ashitaka, but it also serves as a counter of the Strong Fist. Simultaneous to her falling, Ari will whip her left leg to knee Ashitaka under the chin. The force will be an attempt to rattle his brain enough to daze him, and it either would dispel the water jutsu or redirect it higher and prevent him from adjusting his aim at that moment. This counter is honestly worse than a normal kick since the knee generates a lot of force, but unfortunately Ari was too close to Ashitaka to just strike with her foot.

Water Clone:

As for the next turn of events, well part of it was an accident. But at the very least this dragged Ashitaka out of hiding within the water. Ari hopes that he's taking notes when he's facing off another Suiton user like them. Possibly stronger than them. But at any rate Ashitaka looked worn out to say the least. Granted Ari didn't think they were using techniques that draining, but then again who knows how much chakra he's spent before she got here.

Still her smile continues to shine so to speak.

"Exhausted huh? Well do I have a trick for you then. My master taught me this technique, and it's not that great but it should help." Ari will approach close to Ashitaka before extending her hand out to him. Like she's presenting a handshake.

"Take ahold of my hand, and then visualize on creating a typhoon at your palm. A vacuum that consume the chakra from the surface. Giving yourself energy to continue onward, or to just weaken your opponent if you want." If Ashitaka takes her hand, her grin turns into a simple smile as Ari takes a deep breath. Not executing it, but to help Ashitaka focus.

"Breathe in… hold… then exhale. Just like breathing, you're pulling my chakra into your network."

WC:565
Learning Chakra Absorption - C rank
Teaching Chakra Absorption
Stamina: 99/135

Ordinarily, the fight would have effectively been reduced to a standstill. Ashitaka had no real way of landing a hit on Ari's much more agile clone, and her blows were not really hurting him. But that damnable Flash Dance had a crippling price for its use, especially with such a heavy weapon as his hammer. A person observing the fight could be forgiven for thinking that he was the training dummy here. The clone delivered a knee to his face that knocked him down and he didn't get back up until Ari's transformation threw him.

{Regeneration Drain: 3/50 CP remaining}

By the time she addressed him in person, he was on the verge of blacking out. His vision split and blurred as he tried to focus on her offered hand enough to take it with his own. He couldn't even process what she was telling him, let alone form another jutsu. When his hand finally found hers, it was coated in wood and felt nothing of the contact. Instinctively, however, his remaining chakra followed hers and took hold of it to draw her life energy into himself. He perked up noticeably, but it was still visibly clear that he was not fighting fit at the moment. Ashitaka gave Ari a wan smile.

"I appreciate the gesture, but... please, just let me catch my breath... for a moment."

WC: 237
Learning: Chakra Absorption
Remaining CP: 8/50

Thankfully he took the gesture and learned the technique. But seeing as how exhausted he is. Ari wonders how much of it Ashitaka actually registered. Still, he plea with Ari to let him rest, and Ari responds with a simple pull to get him back on his feet.

"Alright then. I gotta practice some more of the Strong Fist anyways, and they sound a bit too dangerous to practice it on you. Luckily we have a volunteer." Ari jested at the end as she pulls her hand away from Ashitaka and forms the Tiger handseal. To which she conjures a shadow clone of herself that appears next to her. Both Ari and her clone split to put 10 meters worth of distance between them. Without weaving any handseals, Ari charges up the Doton chakra within the core of her body. Then she spreads it throughout her body, including her skin, hair, and eyes.

Her skin and even her hair turns dark. Ari's body felt heavier, but on the same token she felt protected from harm. It was a complicated process that normally requires handseals to complete, and while there was an option to cover partial of the body by not performing handseals. Ari could do the full body, albeit it still takes the same amount of time for it to cover her whole body.

Now ready, Ari was prepared to practice the Strong Fist techniques that are quite advanced. The type that would really deliver the hurt into anyone unfortunate to get hit by it. Ari shifted from one foot to the other to maintain a potential momentum. Building up energy as she was ready to explode with power. Then Ari charged towards her shadow clone as she was incredibly faster than before. Crossing the 10 meters in less than half a second, and from there Ari will deliver a lateral kick against the core of her shadow clone's body. The combined forces of her bolstered strength and the sense weight of her Doton technique was more than enough to send her clone high in the air for 15 meters. Following up on that, Ari leaned down to plant her hands on the ground, and she generates enough power that cracks the very ground as she launches herself to appear behind the clone's body. Like a shadow of a dancing leaf as it were.

Ari could feel her body straining from the intense stress she's putting it under, but she pushes through anyways. For in a real fight she couldn't afford to wait on whatever empathy her opponent might have. So with a sharp spin, Ari slams her heel against her clone's left ribs which forces the clone to rapidly spin. With clenched fists as her teeth grit from the strain. Ari unleashes a flurry of blows against her clone, most of it look to be blurry motions to Ashitaka if he's watching. Each connection of her blows is strong enough to emit audible sounds of something heavy striking a surface. Until finally, after both Ari and the clone were roughly a meter away from the ground. Ari rapidly spins to deliver a devastating heel drop at the chest cavity of her clone. Which would disperse her clone, but not before it made a solid impact against the ground and the earth cracked as it dipped into a small crater. Small amounts of water start to flow into the crater through the cracks as Ari crouched at the center.

"And that is why I said that it'll be too dangerous for me to practice this Taijutsu against you. I'm not saying that you're weak or you can't handle it. I just don't want to risk inflicting major injuries on my teammates." Ari explained to Ashitaka hoping that he'll understand. Granted the initial kick wouldn't be worrisome albeit he might have felt that one. But that Lion's Combo was devastating to say the least. A sigh escapes from her lips as the dark shade seems to flake off from her body. Dropping her concentration on the technique.

WC: 776

Spoiler:

When the penalty for Flash Dance finally wore off, Ashitaka felt his energy flow back into him in a surge. He silently vowed to himself to refrain from using that technique again until he figured out a way to refine it so that it wouldn't come at such an agonizing cost. As his vision cleared, he managed to pick up the sight of Ari ruthlessly pummeling a Shadow Clone of herself, which led him to wonder just how much of its experiences were going to become a part of her when it finally popped. Even with his pep back, though, there wasn't a lot he could do in terms of learning new techniques. He'd already completed most of those that were within the scope of his ability, and the ones he hadn't gotten to yet required a sword-shaped weapon, which was not what he'd brought with him today. Thus, he was relegated to spectating as Ari demonstrated the she was fully capable of hurting him if she wanted to, and had just refrained from doing so.

"I can't believe that with all that happened on that day and this one, you thought that you were the one who was too weak to contribute to our team. To be honest, I don't know why Nyg-sensei even offered me a leadership position when he could just have easily been straightforward about kicking me out. A dead weight like me is just going to be an unnecessary and potentially fatal burden for the rest of you."

After searching for traces of his own chakra signature for a bit, he finally found his hammer embedded partially in the ground about four meters away from the hole Ari had dragged him out of. Pulling one of his wire-bound kunai out of its holster, he threw it at the larger weapon, then tugged on the wire so that the knife would wrap around the haft like a grappling hook. Another, stronger tug dislodged the hammer and brought it spinning back to him, and he turned so he could catch it with both hands as it passed his body.

With a few leaps, he climbed to the top of the chasm, then walked over to where he'd choked off the waterfall, having decided not to join the adults he resented in destroying the environment over petty grievances. After making the Boar-Dog-Ram hand seals, he held his hands over the moistened earth and brought the waterfall that nearly killed him back to life.



[WC 433
Techniques Learned:
Suiton Release- Waterfall Basin Technique]

The words that left from Ashitaka's lips would normally bring pride into her, but Ari's stormy grey eyes shifted to the side as she processed the information.

"Strength is pointless if you can't control it. True strength doesn't necessarily mean raw physical power. Rather, it applies to control and refine that strength with resolve. For without the control and good intentions, that strength becomes useless. As you've experienced first hand with that hammer for example. It's a strong weapon and your style emphasize on that strength. However if someone was quick like me they could outmaneuver that strength and make you waste energy." Ari admits before standing up on her feet and dusting off the loose dirt from her clothes. Albeit her body is partially soaked from being in the water earlier. Still, the girl brings her eyes up to the sky, like there's a beacon of hope up there. Ari proceeded to climb out of the crater before properly bowing to Ashitaka.

"I'd like to apologize for my behavior earlier. I was prideful, and I took pride in putting up a fight against anyone. When sensei took me down with just eye contact, I was crushed with shame that I couldn't have done more. In the process, it triggered a painful memory, and as the result I took my anger out on all of you." Ari's voice took to a sincere tone as she spoke. With tensions brewing in the air, Ari isn't sure if she will be given another chance to apologize.

"I know it doesn't excuse me for what I've done, and what could've happened had those boulders crush Chika. But…" It was hard to form the words, but as she once heard humility is the process of healing what originally was pride and shame.

"The least I could is to aid you in your growth as a shinobi. Unfortunately I am limited as such since my focus has been Ninjutsu and Taijutsu. So the only thing I could provide is some insight for future battles."

"I understand the capabilities and weaknesses of this hammer. I made it and the art of wielding it." he responded to her bluntly. He was not open to being lectured, even as a manner of reassurance. "But it's what I have right now, so I thought I'd make the most of it. At the end of the day, my best just wasn't good enough. And let me tell you, that is a weird feeling for me right now."

Ashitaka sighed as he unwound the wired kunai from the hammer's haft, preparing to return the former to its holster. Which of course meant immediately coiling the wire back up again and looping the blade through the coil a couple times to hold it in place. This was actually a good thing, as tedious as it was, because it gave him the opportunity to work out what he was going to say.

"Listen... about what you said earlier? You were right. The world isn't just sunshine and rainbows. Hell, even sunshine will burn your skin off if you get too much of it and rainbows kind of need, you know, rain. As do all the plants and trees." He punctuated his statement by smashing the head of his hammer into the wall of the crevasse with a quieter version of the sound that initially drew her attention to him, wincing as he did. After rubbing his ears for a bit, he formed the Tiger seal and created a small earthen ledge that supported the weapon's handle. Then he sat on it like a bench. "Everything in our world basically needs the suffering of something else in order to survive. Civilization is just a convenient way to distance ourselves from that reality."

"To be perfectly honest with you, I'm not an Inuzuka. You might have guessed, given the lack of dog." He gave a small laugh and a smile slightly more sincere than the one he gave her when he was inside the cliff face. She might also have noticed that he hadn't had his cheek markings on since before she arrived, since the first waterfall he was under had washed them off. "Truth be told, I'm nobody. I was found out in the woods outside the village a few years ago. I'd like to say I know what you've been through, but that would be a lie. I have no memories of my family, let alone how I ended up without them. I might as well be an apparition manifested out of the forest itself."

What Ashitaka said was the harsh truth, the kind of truth Ari threw at them in their first meeting. The world seems to revolve around inflicting pain and suffering. Perhaps this cycle is older than civilization itself, since from what Ari can recall it was a survival to the fittest. It still is technically, but it's mellowed out compared to how it used to be.

"Through conflict, we evolve." Ari responded after listening to Ashitaka. A short summary in one sentence of what Ashitaka was referring to. Whether it is a war, a skirmish, or even just a political debate. They suffer, they endure, and in the end it either breaks them or forges them stronger than before. Or at least that's how the saying goes.

The next part about Ashitaka's past, an adopted child of the Inuzuka clan hence the lack of a canine companion. If there's anything Ari understands is that family isn't about blood.

"Okay, so you're a nobody then. That just means you can be whoever you wanna be. Want to go save the world and be hero? Go for it. Want to go burn down Kirigakure to the ground? Go for it." Ari giggled at the last part, and she still hates that nation for what they did to her home.

"The point is that you don't have the pesky clan obligations or local traditions engraved into your head. Which means, as much as I hate to admit it, you would honestly be the best candidate for a leader. Because you're not weighed down by the prejudice, or living up to someone's absurdly high expectations." With that being said, Ari stretches the core of her body by alternating twists. Then she gets down to building up and molding Doton chakra. While she doesn't need handseals to perform Doton techniques, she still has to form the molded chakra into a peculiar shape.

Seeping into the earth below her, up to roughly 5 meters away from her and Ashitaka. A large wall of earth instantaneously erupted into existence as it looked over them for 15 meters. Then Ari looks back over to Ashitaka.

"This way the water won't flood the lake along the way. Still, I suggest you get to climbing that cliff just in case." Ari suggested albeit her tone makes it sound to be a command. Ari would then approach the lone tree that her bag is still hanging from the top branch. With a quick two leaps along the tree's height, Ari ascended up to said branch where she will collect it. The girl noticed that one small area was wet on her bag, but the scrolls appeared to be fine. Either way, with the bag in hand Ari leaps once more along the cliff's wall. Up to the top of the cliff where Ari slings the strap over her shoulder.

Taking a deep breath as she faced the block in chasm. Ari builds up the suiton chakra like it was a raging storm. Weaving the snake handseal, albeit not as many as the Water Dragon did. Upon completion, Ari pursed her lips as the pressure built up within her body. Then spewing out from her mouth is a large wave of water that quickly engulfs the vicinity of the chasm. The earth wall holds up strong against the crushing volume of water as it fills up the chasm. Rushing down the chasm as some pieces of the cliff edges crumbled away from the pressure. Eventually after it reached 250 meters, the water level continued to bend and twist for a while. By the end of it the water level was roughly 10 meters deep. If Ashitaka climbs out of the chasm by that point, Ari will drop the barrier and allow the rush of flowing water down the rest of the chasm. By the time that stream of water reached the lake it won't be nearly as destructive as it would have been.

WC: 700
[Learning Earth Style; Earth Wall]
[Learning Water Release; Exploding Water Colliding Wave]

Ari was listening to him for most of this conversation. It felt strange, but a good kind of strange. He brushed it off to deal with it later. For now though, he had to make the most of an opportunity he didn't currently know the scarcity of. She was a bitter person, but one who is clearly also capable of kindness. And that duality in her, in all humans and perhaps all manner of beasts, was something that begged acknowledging.

"And in peace we find things worth fighting for," he replied to her remark. He started to smile when his admission of what in this society was considered a critical deficiency was met with positivity rather than scorn, because he knew that it also applied to her. His smile vanished when she mentioned burning another major village to the ground. Wars were temporary, but they both knew that travesties like that lasted lifetimes, perhaps generations. "Ari..."

This was it. One of the moments that Ashitaka had foreseen when he refused Nyg-sensei's suggestion that he take leadership of Team 10. He'd hoped that the jounin would respect that he was sensible enough to know when he was taking on responsibilities that he didn't have the necessary life experience to properly handle before he was truly in over his head. But everything started falling apart around him when he tried that, and now the moment was bearing down on him like a tsunami, and there was nowhere to run. How was he supposed to tell her that she shouldn't pursue vengeance, let alone so gleefully? It was probably all that kept her going at this point. The moment washed over him, and he'd failed to address it in any way. She continued on to recommend his leadership because irony was a force of nature.

"I appreciate the thought, but I'm a 10-year-old Genin. 'Living up to someone's absurdly high expectations' basically defines my existence." he declared with what was technically a smile on his face.

He looked up and around at the new instant cliff, of which his own ledge was now a negligible part. This, too, seemed to be a defining aspect of his life. He'd be more concerned with that if it wasn't for the imminent threat of a ton of water descending on him, something he was absolutely not a fan of. So he stood and lifted his hammer, then resumed his established trend of displaying uncharacteristic agility in wielding it. He took a few steps away from the stone wall and swung his weapon in an overhead arc while simultaneously leaping straight up, using the momentum from the strike to carry him up the wall's height before completing the swing and lodging the hammer's head into its top. Then he crawled up the haft to the position that Ari claimed would be safe and watched her climb into a tree some distance away.

He decided that his best option at this point was to use one of the few remaining jutsu within the limits of his abilities and made a Tiger seal, creating a water clone of himself and leaving it to watch events from the top of Ari's barrier while he went over to her tree and climbed into it. It wasn't that he didn't trust her, but he'd picked up a lot of Suiton chakra welling up in her, accidents happen, and he didn't want to be a statistic. After she made her seals, both the original and the clone watched the torrent of water flow out of her and into the chasm. It was terrifying, but years of daily baths had helped him learn to hide his fear of being submerged. As she collapsed the barrier, he also released the clone, letting it return to the water.

"Well, that was impressive."


[WC 670
Techniques learned:
Bukijutsu: Preregrine Dive
Suiton: Water Clone Technique]

Upon witnessing the potential devastation Ari unleashed with that suiton technique. She quickly came to understand why it was most of the suiton user’s favorite technique to use. It not only covers a long range, but it also doesn’t leave room for counters from the opponent. Plus it could be used as a setup for other techniques such as the Water Dragon Bullet. Speaking of, Ari reaches into her bag to pull out a scroll and opens it. Her eyes shift from side to side as Ari reads the contents on the scroll. There was another mention that the technique would only move as fast as she desired. It made the girl wonder if there was possibly a way to develop a fighting style revolving around controlling the water.

Brushing that thought aside for now. Ari closes the scroll and tucks it away into her bag. Turning towards the chasm as her eyes focus on the water below them. Ari weaves together a combination of handseals as the suiton chakra builds up within her body once more. Upon completion, Ari extended her hands out to the water. To which begins to churn before a large tendril of water raised up from the body. Spiraling as it ascends up to Ari, and with a twirl of her hands the spiraling tendril circles around Ari. Constantly moving with not a single moment to rest, just like a river current.

Having accomplished what Ari was aiming for, the thought of making a fighting style based on how the water behaves. Whether it is a trickle line of a creek, or a raging storm in the sea. Either way, Ari raises her hand to manipulate the tendril to ascend above her. Bringing her hands down into a tight fist, the tendril moves over the edge of the cliff before violently slamming into the bottom of the chasm. Creating a good 10 meter deep hole that's only a few meters wide.

A sigh escapes from Ari's lips as she could start to feel her body becoming drained from the excessive number of jutsu she's been throwing. Still, there was one more technique Ari needed to learn. And that was the Earth & Stone Dragon. Because it was a Doton technique, Ari didn't need those pesky handseals. However it would still be complex to form. More than creating a big hand of earth and stone. So the girl begins to concentrate in molding the chakra of earth into shape. However, Ari underestimated the strain the jutsu had and so it ended as soon as it began.

Doubling over as her breathing became raspy as her exhaustion was starting to show.

"Dammit…" She cursed herself before taking a couple of deep breaths. On the third, Ari straightened herself up as she grew fiercely determined to push through this.

"One more time!" And so Ari charges up her Doton chakra one more time as she accumulated the amount at a faster rate. The technique was complex as it was twisted in multiple ways, yet Ari persevered. The earth seems to cry out as rumblings could be felt throughout the chasm. Sweat started to trickle down from Ari's brow as she continued to concentrate in maintaining the flow of chakra into the ground. Then, from underneath Ari bursting through the wall of a cliff to which Ari stood. Is a large Chinese apparent dragon with stone-like whiskers and hollowed eyes. Ari actually lost her footing as the earth she stood on crumbled away, but what she landed on wasn't just some boulders. Rather it was the very long and large body of the dragon as it ascended into the air with it's long body towering over the chasm.

The aftermath of this was overall quite draining on Ari's reserves. She wasn't ashamed of it as Ari managed to acquire lots of knowledge and lots of jutsu to learn. It was just a matter of practicing them further in an actual combat session, but that would be for another time. Ari manipulated the earth dragon to lower its head back to her top side of the chasm. To which the girl will hop down from the dragon's body and lands on the cliff. The dragon then raised its head up before it coils itself at the bottom of the chasm. Where Ari will drop her concentration on the dragon and it crumbles into a mound of small boulders and clumped dirt.

"Well, if you prefer Chika to lead the team then by all means. But you better present a good case on why he would be a better candidate to Nyguyen. At any rate, I'm turning in for the day, so I'll see you around sometime later!" Ari exclaimed before she waved her farewell to the ten year old Genin. Then with a turn on her foot, Ari sets forth to Konohagakure.

WC: 850
[Learning Water Release; Marine Battle Formation Technique]
[Learning Earth Release; Earth and Stone Dragon]

[Exit]

In spite of his relatively passive remark, Ashitaka couldn't help but feel that he was quickly being left behind. Until it had happened, he'd believed that he would feel relief at the notion that he wasn't going to be alone in utter domination of any challenge that crossed his path. But now he found himself in an awkward position between too far ahead of other kids his age to be able to relate to them, and too far behind the other ninja in his rank to be able to contribute meaningfully to their missions. The combination of this state and the whiplash that came with landing in it was dizzying.

Ari had almost wiped herself out with the day's training, and walked off after chiding him that he'll have to convince Nyg-sensei to let him abdicate leadership like it was normal. For his part, Ashitaka had been humiliated and nearly killed at least twice in this training session, and was very emotionally and physically drained at this point. He was going to have to push himself harder than he ever had before just to almost manage to keep up with his teammates. He sat on the side of the cliff and looked down into the ravine where most of their training had taken place, taking note of the extensive damage that had been caused. He had a little energy left, so he spent it cleaning up as much of the mess they made as he could manage with his limited abilities.

His friends needed someone strong to help them carry their emotional burdens. His sensei needed someone reliable to hold the team together when the staggering odds against Konoha came crashing down on them. His world needed someone powerful to heal it from the damage the people in it would cause with their wars. As a person with the potential to develop those traits as he grew, Ashitaka knew that he had a responsibility to be that someone. He just wished that he had something to fight for beyond the fact that other people needed him to.

Ashitaka went home, with thoughts passing from dire matters he lacked the ability to do anything about to plans to make bear steak and wild vegetables for dinner.

[Exit]