[Deleted]

Hotarubi didn't do many things for self gratification, he generally didn't need to most of the time. But the time he did have was not built for stuff like this. Control - control of one's mind, one's body - he could not get his head around it. Sitting there and trying to have empty thoughts? No. Hotarubi was not built for that. He was built for action. He was built to move and be in motion and all of this shit? Trying to 'seize the day' was not sitting there and trying to enjoy the noises of the temperate jungle. And yet he tried, because, like all other things as a Shinobi, he needed to temper himself - still as a rock. And yet, the mental calm would not happen. He was an utter swirl of noise. His position was inside the village was staring out towards the inside crevice of the village and a waterfall to his rear on a bridge that passed housing. His legs dangled off what would be a slightly nasty ish fall to a lower area of housing and bridge - he did not want to tempt fate. People were passing by, and he didn't know how he managed to do so many years in a noodle shop, when all he wanted to be was where he was now.

[Takahashi Akio]

Today was just another day in Takigakure, Akio was returning from his training out in the jungle with an empty backpack that had once held food, drink, and reading material for when meditating got boring. As far as sages went he was probably the worst at sitting still and calmly meditating, which was probably why he had so much trouble trying to catch up to Keiko. Sure, he had learned to enter sage mode, but the road ahead to mastering the technique would be a long and arduous one.

While the young sage apprentice was lost in thought about his training, he walked through the village back to his apartment, absently smiling and waving when he saw someone he knew. It wasn’t until he got to the bridge that took him to the center of the village that the sight of a teenager he’d never seen before sitting on the structure's edge brought his attention back to reality. Akio just stood and stared blankly at the stranger from a moderate distance for a good ten seconds trying to figure out what exactly the guy was doing.

With his curiosity piqued, the young sage walked up close to the guy on the bridge and crouched just a few feet away, just out of arm's reach: a choice he made just in case his stupid prying question got a swing out of the guy with a scary scar on his face. Despite his bit of wariness, Akio would let a quick and genuine smile creep across his face as he asked out loud, "Hey kid, whatcha doing?”

@perpetual

[Deleted]

"Ah. Mm?" Hotarubi opened his eyes and turned his head. It wasn't often that he was approached by anybody, so it was one of life's moments. But he supposed that if anything were to come of it, then it was worth exploring. The ... man? Looked younger, was smaller, of thinner build - and yet he could tell plainly he was a Shinobi. Hotarubi could tell if most people were a Shinobi or not if they hadn't been trained, because that's what he looked for. Training - and it was evident on most shinobi. While Hotarubi tried to figure him out, he couldn't help but wonder if there was something to benefit from this man. If he would prove to be a nuisance, then Hotarubi would quickly shoo him along. "I'm trying to meditate, and I can't empty my mind for shit fuck." That's why he was out in the middle of the village as opposed to somewhere quiet, he gestured around him. "It's pointless doin' it when in the quiet and cold, where it's easy. But if I'm fightin, the last thing I wanna be doing is not be thinking straight." It was phrased in such a way that if Akio had any experience, now was the time to share that. He placed his hands on his knees, leaning forward now - not having asked for his name because right now he didn't care.

[Takahashi Akio]

At first Akio was practically staring at the guy’s scar until he mentioned meditation, the one thing that Akio had dedicated the last year or so of his training to. Although he was the worst Takigakure sage to talk to about meditation, the amount of practice he’d put into it probably made him at least one of the more knowledgeable people on the topic within the village. When the guy finally gestured at the village and his surroundings Akio’s eyes would shift from the guy’s scar to take in the beauty of the village from where they were conversing.

Despite not looking at the hooligan as he gave his profanity-ridden explanation, the young sage apprentice simply nodded before pondering aloud, "Hmm…” Akio almost comically squinted as he attempted to gather his general thoughts together before finally piping up, "I think it depends a lot on the person, scar-guy. Training wheels can be incredibly helpful if the right person is using them.”

"Meditating and clearing one's mind of unnecessary thought isn’t something you just do once and master overnight though. There’s a reason sages and monks dedicate their entire lives to the art of meditation in some form or another.” Now that Akio was talking about the subject he found it incredibly difficult to shut up without at least pointing out the obvious, "I think it’d be difficult for you to meditate anywhere if you’re a beginner. If you were out in the middle of the forest right now, you’d be distracted by the bugs, the rustling of leaves, and just the sounds of life in general. Nowhere is free from distraction.”

It seemed weird to randomly give a lecture about meditation to a dude sitting on a bridge, but it definitely wasn’t the worst way to spend his day. There was so much more he could say about the topic as a sage apprentice but he was trying to keep it short and sweet. Also it would have just felt weird to bring up being a sage apprentice and purporting to be an expert on the subject, especially when he felt like he was so incredibly far from being an expert on the topic.

The best he could hope is that his explanation would at least make Hotarubi understand that meditation was just difficult to master in general.


@perpetual

[Deleted]

When people stared at his scar it was all the more obvious, he had seen it over and over with most people in his life. Luckily it wasn't the ugliest scar in the world. He didn't particularly mind it. Now if it had been Nageku's tattoos? Yeah, he could understand why they needed to differentiate his ugly mug with Hotarubi's. "What training wheels?" Unlike the other shinobi, Akira, whom had given him an introduction to sensory based things - Akio was not helping, or framing it in a way that he could understand. Hotarubi wasn't the greatest intellectual individual in the world. And he mentioned Sages - stuff that he still didn't understand. How can one associate with a village and yet not be held accountable to their rules? That sounded like something he wanted to do. But, nature energy, politics and shit he couldn't account for. But while Akio was framing it or setting up what he was trying to say it had yet to be helpful to him, who was trying (and failing) to regulate his breathing. "Alright, so everywhere has distractions. What do I do about it?" Was the answer nothing? Hotarubi knew that he didn't or catch it on the mark what he needed to know, but he didn't know what he didn't know - and needed to find out so that some level of peace or calmness could be had across his... spirit? Was that he right word? 'Fuck me.' he thought to himself.

[Takahashi Akio]

Akio leaned casually against the bridge railing, his gaze drifting across the bustling village beneath them. Hotarubi's questions about meditation prompted a thoughtful nod from the laid-back shinobi. Taking a moment to gather his words, Akio spoke with a touch of sincerity and a hint of his characteristic playfulness.

"Alright, let's break it down a bit more, scar guy. Those training wheels I mentioned? They're like the basics, the tools to kickstart your journey. Imagine it's like focusing on your breath – inhale slowly, count to three, then exhale. It's like giving your mind a handle to hold onto," he explained, gesturing with a relaxed flow of his hands to emphasize the rhythm as he took a brief breath afterwards.

"As you do this, distractions will pop up, like those bugs or the rustling leaves. But the trick is to not fight them. Acknowledge them without getting too caught up. And if your mind decides to wander off, gently bring it back to your breath. It's a bit like herding cats at first, you know? But with practice, it becomes more manageable."

Akio tried to add a relatable touch, making massive assumptions that because of the scars the guy got into scuffles a lot, "Think of it kinda like a fight. It’s important to be aware of everything on the battlefield that could be used to your advantage or used against you, but don't get distracted by everything that's there of your opponent will take advantage of that. There's a fine line, just like in meditation. You want to be present and aware, but not distracted."

He concluded with a simple laugh as he emphasized how hard meditation could be, "Meditation’s tough, man. You gotta sit still and simply exist, and honestly it’s difficult to tell if you’re doing it right."


Akira

[Akira]

The man tutted. This was a pointless endeavor. It was useless, fruitless - but now he had got himself into the situation and obviously he wanted to be the absolute best at it. Hotarubi would close his eyes and listen to the sound of the man talking - to breathe. Of course, they went through this sort of the thing at the academy when learning how to breathe properly (to enhance their running) and doing it with the purpose of doing nothing with it felt empty. So - Akio might've been trying to help him but unless he'd told the boy to open his eyes and watch they would remain closed. Hotarubi wasn't sure he was ever going to get this. "This sounds like a whole exercise of doing a lot to not do a lot." The Yamakira was just being a tad reductive in how he felt about this pointless task which was allegedly meant to make himself 'feel better' "Inner peace.... innneeeer. peace." And Akio would have almost lost the Yamakira had they not actually started to make it around a fight. His eye opened, as would an eyebrow. That worked. That was helpful, and Akio might've known that because he shut up and actually tried to work on the breathing. Listening to the sound of the waterfall.. clearing out his mind like he would do in a fight. But he shook his head and stood up - it just wasn't an immediate effect. "HoW THE FUCK am I meant to be here but not here? Present but away? Shit's fucked." Hotarubi would kick and scuff at the bridge, for an imaginary rock that did not exist. He would put his hands on his hips, stare up at the sky and exhale. It probably didn't look all too good to be coming across like a petulant child.

[Takahashi Akio]

Akio couldn't help but sympathize with Hotarubi's frustration. He was just as confused about how meditating could help him years ago, but maybe Hotarubi didn’t need inner peace; he wasn’t a sage after all, maybe he just needed to be less wound up all the time. With a bit of a smile, Akio laughed and responded, "Yeah, it’s confusing as hell, right?"

He took a casual stance, scratching his head, "Look, I get it. It's all a bit 'out there.' This might seem a bit rude, but maybe inner peace is a bit of a lofty goal for you right now. Maybe you should start by trying to calm your energies a little bit. You’re wound up so tight over something so small."

Akio adopted a more earnest tone, "You don’t need to be some enlightened super sage; you just need to calm your tits a little. Maybe you need to start at a bit more of an obvious place; there are a lot of examples that could be used: chakra, catching animals, fighting. Maybe you aren’t ready for any of those types of analogies, and you just need to calm down and reevaluate whether still meditation is even the right first step, you know?"

As he spoke, Akio's mind raced with thoughts. He understood the challenge of finding inner peace, having grappled with it himself. Meditation, especially for someone like Hotarubi, might feel like trying to rein in a stampede, a feeling that Akio was all too familiar with. However, Akio knew that sometimes it was better to start with the basics. His own journey into meditation wasn't an instant success; it required patience and a gradual approach.

He remembered the frustration of trying to follow complicated advice and decided to share some of his experiences, "Just focus on your breath while you're exercising or doing other things. You don’t really need to sit still and do all that present, but not present crap. If you can reign yourself in a little bit, maybe that’d be good enough to start, and you can worry about the other stuff later."

Akio stuffed his hands casually back into the pockets of his hoodie before finishing, "Once you've got the hang of that and maybe when you’ve exhausted yourself a little bit, you can try the advanced stuff if you want to become some guru or something." Akio chuckled a little at the thought, this guy was at a worse place than him when he started on the path to sagehood. Akio had a lot of energy too but it was a freer energy and much less explosive. He wondered if it was even possible to reign in such an ill tempered energy.

He hoped his words would at least help a little bit and find some purchase, offer a slightly simpler starting point to what seemed like a daunting task.

Akira

[Akira]

Akio had a point - he was a bull trying to work in a porcelain shop. "I have inner peace." Hotarubi chose to chide Akio on his choice of wording - though it was present and clear to absolutely anybody that this was not the case considering his own chaotic energy. But, maybe Akio was on to something: was meditation necessary? Was it needed? Hotarubi crossed his arms and listened to the runt while trying to understand the experience. It was hard to work through considering how he felt at the moment. It was hard to count the Apprentice's experience for anything when he felt they were just so close in age. The Yamakira were feared: 'Mountain Killers' - and they'd had the history to prove it. Peace was power, it was a different form... but those were thoughts beyond Hotarubi's grasp as he thought of all of the various possible 'first steps' and he would twist from the waterfall as he looked over the village. "Maybe. Maybe not." Hotarubi would be non-committal, since he felt there were a few possible journeys for him to take. "Who are you anyways?" Hotarubi would ask, effectively what was the question of the man's credentials and how he was able to proclaim himself god of the calm.

[Takahashi Akio]

Akio's laughter echoed through the air, fueled by the irony of Hotarubi's claim to inner peace amid the evident chaos within him. The young sage couldn't resist a playful jab in response to the Yamakira's statement.

"If you've found inner peace, then I must be Lord Ryū, master sage in the flesh," Akio quipped between chuckles, shaking his head as he continued. "Sadly, I'm just a humble little sage apprentice, and you… I assume, have a very different understanding of inner peace from what I’ve learned."

With a deep sigh, Akio decided to share a bit about himself, sensing a hint of skepticism in Hotarubi's response. "You know, my master Ryū used to say I had no talent for this inner peace and meditating stuff.” He’d pause for a mere moment before continuing, "He seemed very skeptical about taking me on as an apprentice at first, but just recently I finally managed to wrangle the unruly energies within me enough to enter Sage Mode," he explained, a bit of a smile briefly gracing his face before he realized that Hotarubi might not be familiar with the concept.

"Sage Mode is this incredible state that demands a certain level of inner peace. You need perfect stillness both inside and out to unlock its power. When you unlock and master it though you become so incredibly powerful. It’s basically Ryū’s trump card," Akio elaborated, hoping to shed some light on the mysterious technique for the young Yamakira.


Akira

[Akira]

Hotarubi would have wondered why Lord Ryu was in Akio's mouth but then it was made apparent there was more going on than what Hotarubi himself understood in that moment in time. "You're his student?" Turns out, the Yamakira's mind did actually work in putting things together. The near-adult knew nothing of Sages, and so the word was just as foreign to him. Had there been anything in the academy at any time about it? Maybe? But, it was obvious now that Akio had Hotarubi's attention. Curiosity beyond anything: his mood lighter, in what could only have been anticipated as eagerness. Hotarubi had heard many things about the man's bloodthirst, about their kingliness. "I only ever met him once a few years ago... intimidating." and that was a feeling that would persist after this 'little' meeting they were having now. "You a hotshot?" Hotarubi would ask, as his respect for Akio grew by virtue of being one of Ryu's students: they must, must have been powerful enough to be considered worthy by none other than the strongest in the village. But that was beyond the point. As Akio explained the inner peace part, Hotarubi actually listened this time - the mark of respect or even some slight deference even if the Yamakira thought the other one looked like a bag of bones. "Why haven't I heard of it more? It's rare like Genjutsu, right?" Hotarubi would wonder out loud - not that it didn't interest him to obtain 'power' but there was a reason he hadn't gone into Genjutsu: didn't appeal to him... but then again, he didn't know what a sage 'was'.

[Takahashi Akio]

Akio watched Hotarubi's expressions shift, a mix of respect and curiosity playing across his features. The slight smile on Akio's lips grew wider as he connected with the younger shinobi's interest in the less explored realms of their art.

"Yeah, I’m technically Ryu’s student," Akio began, his voice tinged with a hint of amusement. "But it's not like he taught me a ton directly."

His laughter was light and genuine in response to Hotarubi's 'hotshot' remark. "But I’m definitely not some hotshot. Ryu initially thought I wasn't worth his time. I had to be persistent, showing up at his place every day for a month. I think he only really agreed to train me because I was too stubborn to give up, and he probably had better things to do than deal with me every day."

As the conversation shifted to Sage Mode, Akio paused a little to think about how he should word it. "Sage Mode is definitely rare like genjutsu, but the reasons are quite different. Ryu once told me that for some, achieving Sage Mode could take an entire lifetime. It's not just a skill you learn; it's a transformation of your entire being, a harmonization with nature that requires intense discipline and a profound understanding."

He paused thoughtfully, but decided that expounding on sage mode a ton wouldn’t help Hotarubi. "In the end, it's all about finding what resonates with you and what aligns with your own strengths and interests. When I was a kid I was a little disappointed that ninjutsu never came easy to me. Those big massive fire jutsu that incinerate everything in their path are just so cool, but as I got older I learned to lean into my strengths. Now there’s nothing like feeling an enemy’s bone break under the weight of a solid kick."

Akio would stop, and consider the fact that he had spent most of the encounter speaking at Hotarubi; and maybe now that the guy had calmed down and was genuinely interested in conversing with Akio maybe he could actually help. "I know I should have asked this at the beginning, but why are you meditating anyways? Like there has to be something other than just emptying your mind." Rather than dig deeper he had started the conversation by trying to tell the kid how to meditate, but maybe the why in this case was more important.

Akira

[Akira]

Well, there was some comfort in knowing that stubbornness was an element that existed outside of the Yamakira: it was how the strong survived, heck - Takigakure's 'village' was built on the mountain of the Yamakira who had taken refuge there in time past. So - he was or he wasn't? Hotarubi wasn't really able to get the wording and he stared blankly at Akio, who would then grace him with a further response. "Uh." Hotarubi didn't have his entire life to learn about some rare art - and unless he'd seen the power in the flesh there would be no point in trying to learn it. Not when someone - like Akio, for example, had already invested significant time. Why bother doing something if you couldn't be the best at it? "What good is nature for you?" Hotarubi did, frankly understand although a moot point - the Yamakira were taught outside of the academy of the importance of the raw elements. Of storms and volcanos, of earth: because they were mountain killers and it had been bred into their folklore. "Fuck yeah!" Akio was speaking Hotarubi's language. He was right! There wasn't anything like that. But the question had come to Akio in reverse about why Hotarubi had been out here? There wasn't much color to drain from his face but Hotarubi did look down instead. A good question. "If you know my clan, then that should answer it all. I was forced from my home by my father." There was no joy in admitting that fact, but perhaps it helped characterise his outbursts. Though in time he would come to later recognise the emotions - he felt rage and sadness at the abandonment. But there on the bridge? Resignation and acceptance, at what he had been expecting to come had finally arrived.

[Takahashi Akio]

Akio observed Hotarubi's reaction to his question, and when the young man seemed at a loss for words, he couldn't help but offer a warm chuckle. "I get it, it's not the kind of thing you run into every day," he admitted with a hint of amusement. "Senjutsu is pretty niche, even among shinobi." That was needless to say, there were maybe one or two shinobi in each village at most that understood senjutsu enough to utilize it freely in combat. He wasn’t even one of those sages, he struggled to use sage mode in realistic combat situations at the moment because he lacked skill.

Hotarubi's question about the importance of nature for Akio prompted a thoughtful expression on the young sage's face though. "Well, just like you and I have chakra flowing through us, nature has a similar energy that you can draw upon. So beyond all the weird sage stuff it’s like an external battery that can supercharge my jutsu." There was a lot more to it beyond that, but that felt like an adequate response that this guy would be able to appreciate, it could act as a source of power that was external to your own power.

When Hotarubi shared his own reasons for being out here, Akio listened attentively. The mention of Hotarubi being forced from his home by his father hinted at a complex history, and the young sage respected his honesty in sharing this part of his life given the fact that Akio was basically a complete stranger. "Sounds like you've been through quite a bit, but honestly screw your dad. I think that an individual’s strength and persistence is more important than whose balls they come from," he commented a little out of pocket before letting out a bit of a chuckle, "But I don’t think we’ve actually introduced each other yet, cause I have no fuckin’ clue what clan you’re from."

As they stood on the bridge, Akio pulled a hand out of his pocket to offer in a hand shake, "I’m Akio by the way." The language he had used because he’d gotten used to Hotarubi cursing was maybe a bit too crude given the fact that he was talking about the guy’s family, but hopefully it wouldn’t rile this guy up again.



Akira

[Akira]

"Uhhhhhuh." It was a long, drawn out 'not sure if I agree there bucko' to Akio. Without seeing what it was able to do: how it might have ever been of a benefit to him, he was not sure it was within his mind to ever learn. When he had been able to visualize his sensory abilities and how that would look - he knew it would be of benefit and he saw to it. Akio started to explain a little bit more and Hotarubi tried to digest in his mind's eye what that could have meant. All in all. Sounded a lot like he needed external help. Yamakira didn't need 'external' sources of power. They were the power. They spent their first month as a baby being fed all of the doton chakra they would ever need: all for themselves. The Genin would not disregard the person though: for they were Ryu's student and that was an honour that few could replicate. He wasn't even aware that the man took students, and he certainly did not think himself capable to ask. Shrugging his shoulders though, which was the 'manly' thing to do and to shove his emotions down - it was easier to let him compartmentalize and figure it out at a later date than let it have more harm now (even if it would have led to a more healthy 'conclusion') for him. "Thanks. Appreciate it." But it did help him feel a little better knowing that not all people were like the Yamakira: he didn't need to be excused or forced from his home. Just... well. He knew what it meant to be a Yamakira and he'd been living on borrow time - and chewed at the inside of his own mouth. The change of pace though was exactly what he needed for the Genin did not want to be a 'downer' and it was ... surprising that he couldn't have guessed. Hotarubi looked unimpressed. "Yamakira." He pointed at his face. Was it not obvious? His appearance was blocky, and his skin tone was inconsistent if not a little bland as he remained in the earthen form. "I'm Hotarubi. Listen... it was nice talking, but I should... go." Though he didn't make an immediate attempt to move... because there wasn't really anywhere to go. Maybe he could try and find one of those hobbies - that Akio spoke about?