[Yamamoto Eri]

Yamamoto Eri

The training and learning of a shinobi never ended, Eri knew that as a fundamental truth in the world. That didn't mean it couldn't be both tedious and frustrating. She was rather kicking herself now for not having trained this skill earlier, considering how useful the Hikin Fuinjutsu was, and yet she had not. That there were many other things to learn, train, and perfect were irrelevant. The fact of the matter was that something like this was practically the most basic of all fuuinjutsu to learn, and she'd never gotten around to it.

Plus it was painfully dull to learn.

Tucked away to the side of the training ground that she usually booked for the members of Team Saitei, Eri sat in front of a low table, scrolls spread out in front of her as she tried to work her way through the most basic fundamentals of fuuinjutsu before she could even think to get beyond that into actually making and using the base skill. And for some reason, the fundamental rules of fuinjutsu made her head hurt a little. 

It was different than using the scrolls to store her puppets, she hadn't had to make the scrolls or even understand them to know how to use them, it was a matter of simply being connected to the puppets and then pushing or pulling them into or out of the scrolls someone else made.

This was different, and right now she wasn't entirely sure why.

Word Count: 246
Tags: Murahira Hana
Notes: Hikin Fuinjutsu [Generic Sealing Technique] Training Post 1

[Murahira Hana]

Hana Murahira Do your best until you know better once you know better, then do better

in life, honor - in death, glory If there was one person that knew about training, it was Murahira Hana. Its what she did. Its what she lived for. From sun-up to sun-down, if she had free time and wasn't otherwise serving Kumogakure in some fashion, she was training and improving herself to better serve the village. So, seeing her at the training grounds was far more normal than the alternative. There was something new to Hana, though. That was having a team. She'd been part of one before, but it felt like so long ago. However, now that she was part of team Saitei, Hana was intent on ensuring that she was useful, and that she proved herself as such. So, when she found her captain, Eri, seated at a table looking a little out of sorts, Hana made her way over and slipped up and sat down across from her.  "What's got you out here looking so frazzled, boss?" Hana inquired.  Hana didn't know Eri very well yet. She was still the newest member of the team, and had done little with them. As far as Hana was aware, Eri was the more diversely skilled of them, or at least the most skilled in a single subject if nothing else. She didn't stop to think that Eri might not know something that she didn't. So, she leaned forward and rested her arms on the table to wait for a response.

TITLE: Training Goes Both Ways TAGS: Yamamoto Eri WORDS: 235 Words [1/8 Posts]

[Yamamoto Eri]

Yamamoto Eri

Rubbing at her eyes, Eri continued to read through the scroll she had on Fuinjutsu basics, the sheer dull and dry terminology testing her hard won patience as she tried to make sense of what it meant when it talked about cardinals and anchors. The thing was mostly written in allegorical terms unfortunately, the nature of paranoid shinobi putting it down, not to mention being older than she'd care to think. Unfortunately, that was all that she could get her hands on, and it was enough to make her want to slam her head against a solid surface a few times.

Which is why she had come here, a place she might get seen, in order to resist the temptation to do herself bodily harm in favour of even another moment reading these stupid scrolls.

She picked up the arrival of Hana easily enough, considering her rank it would have been embarrassing if she hadn't, but she didn't actually respond immediately to the Murahira girl while she continued to go through the scroll and trying to take notes of it. It was only when the fox girl plopped down next to the table. Orange eyes slid upwards from the scroll to Saitei's newest member, all frustration carefully bottled away now that she had someone around to keep her grounded.

"I am attempting to build up my knowledge of basic fuuinjutsu, an unfortunate gap in my skillset right now. It is... not my strongest skill," she admitted after a moment, shrugging slightly to show her lack of success thus far. "But I suppose that is irrelevant. What brings you here?"

Word Count: 269
Tags: Murahira Hana
Notes: Hikin Fuinjutsu [Generic Sealing Technique] Training Post 2

[Murahira Hana]

Hana Murahira Do your best until you know better once you know better, then do better

in life, honor - in death, glory Hana gave Eri a puzzled look from across the table. "A gap in your skills is hardly irrelevant. It can, to some, be considered a weakness if it is able to be exploited," Hana explained matter-of-factly. "Part of why I am not considered a full-fledged shinobi sometimes is because I also have a gap in my skills, or several, that is." Hana let out the faintest sigh as she looked over the materials that Eri had assembled on the table. She could see the elements of the fundamentals, most of which looked to be correct - or close enough. It was one of the few things that Hana felt she had mastered, so that gave her confidence in her analysis. "I came to train, but it looks like you might need a little help, too," Hana admitted. "Fuuinjutsu is different than some of the other disciplines. You can get by with inefficiencies in taijutsu or bukijutsu. The technique still works, but in fuuinjutsu you can't rely on that." Hana leaned forward and slightly atop the table to look over at what Eri was working on. Even upside down, she could tell what the symbols were. "This is the basic sealing technique, right?" Hana inquired. "I recognize the symbols, but you have a couple things you're doing that aren't perfect." Hana pointed at one part of a scroll where Eri had been practicing. "See here? This part you rounded out? It should be more square, and here, your line is too rigid. It needs this bit of a curve to it or you practically get a different character." "Have you tried practicing upside down?" Hana inquired. "These are just mostly things my instructors taught me, but they worked - and one thing was working upside down to correct my errors. Our brains recognize a certain character, and because we've associated that character with particular movements, it's difficult to correct. By turning everything upside down, our brain no longer recognizes it as the same character - a weird little trick - but you can now work to correct the inefficiencies." Hana nodded several times. "I would try that, first. If the character is not perfect, the technique won't work, or at least, it won't work properly."

TITLE: Learning Goes Both Ways TAGS: Yamamoto Eri WORDS: 370 Words [2/8 Posts]

[Yamamoto Eri]

Yamamoto Eri

Eri restrained herself from airing the somewhat snarky response that lingered on the tip of her tongue at Hana's response. Yes, a gap in her skills was something that should be fixed, but while they were very close in age, Eri was a chuunin and some small sliver of pride was saying that a genin shouldn't be lecturing her on being a shinobi. Such flares of temper were becoming a little more common in recent times, and she squashed them with the same sort of ruthlessness that she showed her opponents. What a bizarre experience it was, to have this element of ego suddenly appear in her life. She might need to speak to her uncle about it.

"While I am not all that practiced in fuuinjutsu, I am somewhat familiar with it. It does play a role in my puppets after all," she stated, even toned and none of the rebuke that might have been there present at all as she looked over at the fox-girl. Despite the uncharacteristic grumpiness that may or may not have been there because of the pain of working her way through dry documents, she did listen to what Hana was explaining, because Eri wasn't stupid enough to turn down knowledge, especially with such a fundamental type of Fuuinjutsu. Her pen instead jotted down the points that were laid out for her to remind herself of when she tried again, before turning her attention back to the Genin.

"I will try to do what you have suggested. What kind of training did you come here to do, perhaps I can assist as you have for me." 

Word Count: 272
Tags: Murahira Hana
Notes: Hikin Fuinjutsu [Generic Sealing Technique] Training Post 3

[Murahira Hana]

Hana Murahira Do your best until you know better once you know better, then do better

in life, honor - in death, glory Hana sat in silence and just sort of peered at her captain for a moment. Not long enough for it to get really awkward, but it was clear that Hana was thinking about something. "I don't know you very well, nor do I know what you can do, but I do not think our skill sets overlap too much, so I don't know if there is anything specific you can teach me," Hana let out a tiny sigh.  What had she been planning to do? Hana wasn't sure she had a good answer for it. Her training was often unstructured. She would do whatever she felt she needed to work on, and when she was confident in her progress for the day she would move on to something else. But did she train anything in particularly? She reached up and rubbed at her temples. "I've been working on refining some of my clan's techniques, or at least those taught by them," Hana admitted. "Are you familiar with the Subakage-ryū? It is our school of martial arts. We teach something called Hohō, the step method. It's effectively a highly refined method of movement that takes out all the little inefficiencies in our gait and streamlines it to peak performance." "I suppose that is what I am working on the most right now. Once I've managed that, I have a lot more options at my disposal."

TITLE: Training Goes Both Ways TAGS: Yamamoto Eri WORDS: 234 Words [3/8 Posts]

[Yamamoto Eri]

Yamamoto Eri

Thinking slightly, even as she began making the adjustments that were suggested by the Genin, Eri spoke even as her brush began to glide across the page in an elegant script. "Just because we have different skillsets doesn't mean I cannot help at least a little. I cannot say that I am familiar with taijutsu styles enough to know that one, but I am rather familiar with human anatomy and movements. It was necessary for me to make realistic puppets after all. I can probably assist in that regard."

Not that most of her puppets were realistic, but Genbu-san was, and she had learned a lot about anatomy to get to that point.

"It would be wrong to not help if I am able," she added, her head turning to look at the other kunoichi, "even if it is not helping by much. If you tell me a little more about how this taijutsu is supposed to work, perhaps I can assist. And if not, I could simply provide input based on my observations and experiences?" The offer was sincere, but it was ultimately up to Hana if she wanted to accept it.

With that said, Eri turned her attention back to the accursed fuuinjutsu, looking from her drawn seal to the example one and comparing it carefully. It seemed to be right, at least to her novice eyes, and so with a small application of chakra she gave it a try, wondering if she had managed to get everything in the correct place.

The paper smouldering and going up in flames mere seconds later told her that no, no she had not. Eri barely reacted to the flames, having gotten this reaction three times now. Seals were much harder than they looked...

Word Count: 293
Tags: Murahira Hana
Notes: Hikin Fuinjutsu [Generic Sealing Technique] Training Post 4

[Murahira Hana]

Hana Murahira Do your best until you know better once you know better, then do better

in life, honor - in death, glory "Well, as mentioned, its about moving with the utmost precision," Hana explained. "To effectively perform the technique, I have to understand the way I naturally move, and the way I need to move to optimize the process." Hana leaned back a bit and sat up straight. "We naturally move in a way that works, but is comfortable. Moving in the most idealized way isn't necessarily easy nor comfortable. so it can be difficult to achieve." Hana watched as Eri turned back to her Fuuinjutsu and caused the paper to go up in flames. Hana was all too familiar with that. If things weren't perfect, the seal would fail, and something like that could happen, or worse. After a moment, Hana turned to the side, performed a little hand seal, and then blew out a puff of flame. "I've been working on my katon techniques. I've not refined my basic skills enough to learn any of my clan's techniques quite yet, but it's something that will come sooner or later." The little flame created by the failed seal had reminded Hana of that pursuit. She knew that Eri wasn't a katon wielder, but perhaps she'd be able to help either way. "Perhaps that'd be something a little easier to work on?"

TITLE: Learning Goes Both ways TAGS: Yamamoto Eri WORDS: 210 Words [4/8 Posts]

[Yamamoto Eri]

Yamamoto Eri

"I can still help with your movement, like I said, I'm well acquainted with basic physiology through my puppets, plus I can get a fairly good view of your movements in a way most cannot" the Chuunin stated, glancing back towards Hana after she swept her burnt paper away from her. "Perhaps if you showed me what you are currently capable of, I can spot the areas for improvement? My elemental ninjutsu is currently rather limited, but if you would rather my help there, I can try." It really was a tricky situation, their capabilities were quite a bit different from one another and Eri was only just branching out into other disciplines, so she wasn't able to help as much as she would like.

Taking out another piece of sealing paper, the Yamamoto picked her brush up once again and began to draw out the seal, gaze flicking between what she wrote and the guide she had been reading as she tried to match it right. Each brush stroke was as precise as she could make it, hands used to delicate manipulation surprisingly well suited to this artform as well. It was a shame that fuuinjutsu seemed to make her brain hurt whenever she tried to understand it.

"It might even be beneficial for me to see you learn this, it could be a useful technique for myself too, being able to move well is rather important for a puppeteer after all..." she mused, staring at the wet ink for a few moments before returning her attention back to Hana, brush placed down as she waited to see what the Murahira would choose. 

Word Count: 274
Tags: Murahira Hana
Notes: Hikin Fuinjutsu [Generic Sealing Technique] Training Post 5

[Murahira Hana]

Hana Murahira Do your best until you know better once you know better, then do better

in life, honor - in death, glory Hana idly scratched behind one of her own ears while Eri spoke. She made some good points, and Hana couldn't argue that there was potential for her to assist. "I see, well, in that case, let me show you what the Murahira can do," Hana stated while pushing herself up from the table.  She got to her feet and shuffled to the side, putting herself at the corner of the table that Eri still sat at. From there, she sort of wiggled her hips like she was preparing something, and then practically vanished from sight. There was a loud sort of snap, or even a bang, as Hana pushed an incredible amount of force into the ground to propel herself about two meters, effectively ending a semi-circle pattern right next to Eri. Hana let out a sigh, as if she had been holding her breath and bent down a bit to rub at her thighs.  "That technique is called Sonído, because of the sound it makes. It is used to move a very short distance very quickly," Hana explained. "I'm not very good at it yet, but I'm improving." She eventually stood back upright again. "It's one of the four secondary techniques of the Subakage-ryu's Hohō. The others are Shunpo, Senka, and Hirenkyaku. Each serves a different purpose." Hana held up a finger for each, and then lowered her hand shortly after. "I've yet to begin working on Hirenrekyu or Senka, but that will come soon enough."

TITLE: Learning Goes Both Ways TAGS: Yamamoto Eri WORDS: 247 Words [5/8 Posts]

[Yamamoto Eri]

Yamamoto Eri

Eri watched carefully as the Murahira demonstrated her technique, eyes scanning the way the girl moved prior to the loud ripping sound that accompanied the movement. It had been impossible to properly follow the movement itself, but she had managed to pick up enough at the starting point to offer some degree of advice on the matter.

"I think I can see somewhere for you to improve," she stated, hands raising up and invisible threads of the kugutsu no jutsu connecting to Hana's body at key points. Not enough to control it, not really, but enough to put pressure and guide the other girl in how she held herself and moved. "Let me show you what you could do there to make it more efficient."

With that said, she first went through the motions she had witnessed Hana do previously, the other girl's body shifting in exactly the way she had prior to the Sonido. "This is what you are currently doing, right?" Eri stated, hands twisting slightly to tug at Hana in order to get her to shift her stance slightly, leaning forward a little more, additional weight on the balls of her feet, and a slightl adjustment of the width of her stance, "I think if you move off from this position, you will find it easier to complete the movement."

It was impossible to know for sure of course, Eri had no experience with the relevant technique, but her knowledge of humanoid anatomy should have at least some level of impact on helping the Genin with her techniques.

With that done, Eri would pick up her brush once more, sketching out the pattern for the basic fuuinjutsu without haste as she tried to make sure that it was properly drawn before she ever tried to use it. It was quite important that she get it right after all.

Word Count: 311
Tags: Murahira Hana
Notes: Hikin Fuinjutsu [Generic Sealing Technique] Training Post 6

[Murahira Hana]

Hana Murahira Do your best until you know better once you know better, then do better

in life, honor - in death, glory Hana let Eri do her thing.  She wasn't sure how much Eri actually knew, or exactly how much she'd be able to help. In fact, they didn't know much about each other yet - but that would be changing over time, starting with things like this. It may not have been much, but what Eri pointed out would prove to be helpful for Hana.  Hana focused on what Eri told and showed her. As far as she was concerned, it was an improvement, at least in some ways. "You might be right," Hana admitted. "A starting stance like that can be helpful when I have the time to use it." Hana ran the fingers of her right hand through her hair for a moment as she contemplated. The progress of battle may not yield every opportunity to use what Eri had shown her, but there'd be times it would help. Hana would remember it for later. "Would you like to try one of your seals?" Hana inquired. "We can see if it works." The generic sealing technique was one Hana was familiar with. If something went awry, she'd maybe be able to figure it out. If it worked, then Eri had a new technique in her arsenal! Or, at least better refined one that she already had. Both were valuable!

TITLE: Learning Goes Both Ways TAGS: Yamamoto Eri WORDS: 219 Words [6/8 Posts]

[Yamamoto Eri]

Yamamoto Eri

The seal still looked a little like gibberish to her, all things honest, but ultimately it seemed to match what she had seen before, and that was what was important. Frowning slightly at the symbols and lines of ink, Eri examined the instructions that she had as well, comparing the way she had shaped the seal and what it said there. The last step before the seal was active was simply applying chakra to the completed fuuinjutsu. Reaching out, she pressed her had to the dried ink and focused, energy pouring from her body into the seal to 'prime' it ready for use.

She waited a few moments, leaning away a little from the paper just in case it would go wrong at this stage and detonate or something. Luckily, it seemed that the thing held relatively fast, and she could breathe a sigh of relief that at the very least, this stage of the darn thing was successfully completed... probably.

"You said you were familiar with this seal yes?" she asked, turning to Hana with a tilted head, "could you check over it to see if it is functional? I do not want to test it out without being sure it isn't accidentally an exploding tag or something similar." 

She didn't necessarily think that it was, but fuuinjutsu could go wrong in ways that she wasn't entirely sure of, and she'd rather not risk it if she could help it.

Word Count: 241
Tags: Murahira Hana
Notes: Hikin Fuinjutsu [Generic Sealing Technique] Training Post 7/9

[hirana kizumi]

FUJIYAMA AKANE
ACADEMY INSTRUCTOR

Akane had a habit of patrolling the training grounds after classes—she was a diligent instructor, with an immense amount of love for her students, and was eager to see what the kids got up to after she let them loose for the day. As an added bonus, she was often able to lend a hand to some of the genin and chuunin who used the training field as well; jack of many trades, master of none, or something like that. Akane dabbled in a little bit of everything, and she could lend a studious eye and a helping hand to most troubles. She happened across one of her peers sitting at a table, frowning in a consternated manner at the a piece of parchment in front of her. Yamamoto Eri, one of the youngest genin team leads that Kumogakure had produced—a very intelligent young woman, though she seemed to be struggling with something. One of Eri’s genin, Murahira Hana, sat with her. Akane was as nosy as she was helpful, so she strolled on over. "Eri-san, Hana-chan,” she greeted cheerfully, offering a wave. "How ya doin’? What’re you workin’ on, sea—ooh, Hikin! Very nice, Eri, it looks like you almost got it. If I may?” If permission was granted, Akane would peer over Eri’s shoulder to look at her handiwork, and nodded in understanding. "Super close,” Akane said, "but that one’s gonna fizzle up on ya. Don’t risk it. Here’s how I like to do it—” She pulled out a sealing tag and a fuin brush, already pre-loaded with ink (essential for every instructor’s arsenal!), and drew out the Hikin Fuinjutsu seal in slow, methodical steps. "I like to think of it as a journey,” Akane said, adjusting her position so that Eri could get a clear view of her careful linework. "Bunny goes over the bramble and through the woods, down to the warren to nest with her babes—you get the idea.” Once the character was done, Akane waved a hand to force the ink to dry, then pressed two fingers to infuse it with chakra, and—done. A handseal, and the fuin pen disappeared, taken in by the seal. "Try it again?” Akane suggested, a gentle encouragement.

Yamamoto Eri -- 368

LAIKA OF THQ

[Murahira Hana]

Hana Murahira Do your best until you know better once you know better, then do better

in life, honor - in death, glory Eri silently agreed to try one of her seals, so Hana turned back to the table and hopped up onto her previous seat and crouched in place for a moment. She waited, patiently, and watched as Eri painted the seal onto the paper, and as she neared completion, Hana placed her hands on the table and half-crawled across until she could mostly look down on it. With her hands planted on the table, feet on her bench, and legs locked mostly straight, Hana looked like she was in the midst of some sort of Yoga stretch. Sneaking up on Hana, or the Murahira in general, is not easy, so her ears twitched as Akane approached. She glanced to the side and spotted the instructor. "Sensei," Hana greeted plainly. Her tail swished lazily as she turned back to observing the seal and gave it a good look. However, Akane was also interested, and snatched it up before Hana could finish her analysis. So, she slunk back and crouched on her seat again. "I thought it looked a little oblong and splotchy on the one side, but I also figured it'd go successfully, so maybe I didn't get a close enough look." Hana's observation came after Akane's, and as someone barely beyond being a student herself, Hana's words carried less weight than the instructor. Even Hana seemed content to defer to her assumption that the seal would have failed, despite her own perceptions. The foxgirl wrapped her arms around her knees and balanced precariously for the time. "What brings you out here, sensei?"

TITLE: Learning Goes Both Ways TAGS: Yamamoto Eri, hirana kizumi WORDS: 261 Words [7/8 Posts]