[Kouga Kanoh]

While some teachers felt a hands-off approach was best, that it was the only way to truly measure a student’s skill up until the point of a test, Kouga completely disagreed. She wanted to be as involved as possible in the success of the younger generation. After all, it was these kids that would eventually grow and replace her. If she had no clue what their abilities were or how they were developing, how could she rest easy at night? Waiting until the final exam, which this most certainly was as far as the career of a genin was concerned, to determine one’s skill was a surefire way to guarantee a loss.

There was some drama regarding Koume’s performance in the previous exams but, as far as Kanoh had observed, she’d demonstrated the most valuable skills a young shinobi could have; common sense and the ability to work with others. Everything else could be refined and she was already at an excellent jumping off point to truly excel in these upcoming tests.

Today they’d develop her durability. From what Kanoh had read about the young woman she was a competent leader and had a host of utility and offensive tools at her disposal in a fight or survival scenario. What she needed now was grit.

Kanoh waited near a reserved training area in Kuwana for her student to arrive, relaxing for now on a sturdy bench just outside of the ring they’d practice in. She made no reactionary movement as several people passed by; after all, she could tell Koume’s chakra from a mile away. Instead, she tended to the undersides of her cropped nails with the tip of a senbon as she awaited her trainee.

200+ words | @yamo

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[attr="class","ninety"]

[attr="class","joker"]

[attr="class","game"]

for @tagsomeonehere
notes here

[attr="class","kikan"]

With the exams just around the corner and many people expecting more and more from Koume, the teen felt the pressure of the world as it seemingly weighed on her shoulders. To say the girl was stressed was a somewhat understatement, especially with everything the girl had been faced with recently. Having her heart ripped out and torn to shreds has separated the girl from her usual self - she was much more soft spoken, quiet, and content with her own thoughts. Where she normally took this time exploring the area and hanging out with friends old and new alike - this time around Koume only left her room whenever it was absolutely necessary.

Today she was expected to show up for training by none other than the new Kusa Lady, Kanoh. Recently, they had been working on the girl’s overall toughness - even if she were weak emotionally, it was best to make sure that the girl remained as prepared as she possibly could - and so Koume did just that. With having the Rokubi constantly in her ear, telling her how weak she was, that made pulling herself back to her feet even easier than usual.

The pinkette drew in a breath as she greeted the Kusa Lady. "Hiya.” Koume voiced softly. Her enthusiasm was lacking, but at least she was there, even if only in person. "Sorry if I’m late..” The girl added on, brushing her fingers through her pink locks before placing it in a ponytail.

Luckily enough this was a private training session, just her and Lady Kanoh, so hopefully Koume could leave this training session with lessons learned and very few distractions to be had.

ℳ𝒾𝓏𝑜.☽[newclass=.joker]width: 360px; height: 140px; padding: 20px; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -moz-transition: 3s all; -webkit-transition: 3s all; -o-transition: 3s all; transition: 1s all;[/newclass][newclass=.ig:hover .joker]background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4); -moz-transition: 3s all; -webkit-transition: 3s all; -o-transition: 3s all; transition: 1s all;[/newclass][newclass=.game]letter-spacing: 2px; text-align:center; line-height: 9px; margin-top:10px;opacity:0;font:bold 10px muli; color: #ffffff; text-transform: uppercase; -webkit-transition-duration:.3s;transition-delay: .3s;transition-duration:.3s;-moz-transition-duration:.5s;[/newclass][newclass=.game a]letter-spacing: 2px; font:bold 10px muli; font-style: italic; color: #ffffff;[/newclass][newclass=.ig:hover .game]margin-top:0px;opacity:1;transition-delay: .3s; -webkit-transition-duration:.3s;transition-duration:.3s;-moz-transition-duration:.5s;[/newclass][newclass=.ninety]width:400px;height:180px;background-image:url(https://i.imgur.com/9d8i188.jpg);[/newclass]

[newclass=.kikan]width: 65px; height: 65px; border: 1px solid #e3e3e3; transform: rotate(45deg); z-index: 2; margin-top: -27px; margin-bottom: -39px; filter: grayscale(100%);-webkit-filter: grayscale(100%);-moz-filter: grayscale(100%);[/newclass][newclass=.ig:hover .kikan]filter: grayscale(0%);-webkit-filter: grayscale(0%);-moz-filter: grayscale(0%); transition: 0.6s; transition-timing-function: linear;[/newclass][googlefont=Roboto][googlefont=Open+Sans]

[Kouga Kanoh]

Of all the traits to forsake in the approach of this training, one that would test Koume physically and demand the utmost effort for her to actually grow from it, there couldn’t be a worse pick than enthusiasm. Kanoh lifted her gaze and raised the sunglasses that shaded her from the brilliant sun to reveal her focus was squarely on the new arrival. She stood wordless, standing nearly a head taller than the girl, before gesturing for her to enter the ring.

"Don’t worry, darling. I haven’t been waiting long. Have you been enjoying Kuwana?” The place had a pretty good selection of tasty local cuisine and Kanoh would be remiss if her genin weren’t making the most of this opportunity to experience what the world had to offer, especially when it was in a nation that normally despised shinobi of Kusagakure.

She would follow behind the girl and stop at the entrance to the ring, guiding Koume just inside its entrance. The ring itself had a hard stone floor and was encircled by a sturdy wooden fence with six stone pillars each with some kanji burned into their surface. In the center of the ring was a large wooden post, reinforced with metal rivets and bands to serve as a training dummy for very advanced taijutsu users. Lining the sides of the wooden post were bamboo boards that were stained a deep rusty shade of crimson; months if not years of the blood shed by previous trainees.

Kouga flashed a few hand seals before raising her hand to adjust her shades further out of her face to rest atop her head, her fingers forming an OK sign as she pushed up on the side of her specs with her middle and ring finger. "Let me know when you’re ready to start, Koume.”

200+ words | @yamo

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[attr="class","ninety"]

[attr="class","joker"]

[attr="class","game"]

for @tagsomeonehere
notes here

[attr="class","kikan"]

The Kusa lady’s silence was deafening to say the least. It was clear to tell that Koume was a bit out of it, and the teen was aware that she knew. There were some things that the girl had a tendency to tell regardless of who was around her at the time - a truly open book for the most part. Koume exhaled gently as she stood at the entrance of the stone ring, her bright green hues cutting towards the woman for a brief moment as she looked to answer her question with transparency in mind. "Not exactly.” Koume stated as she stepped further into the ring, turning on her heels to face the lady as she spoke. "Mm not exactly. Everything is so..rocky? The atmosphere feels different, I don’t feel welcomed, and overall - the people seem to be rude at times. To me it’s no different than the exams in Mizu no Kuni.” Emerald orbs quickly averted as thoughts of mentioning Shigure crept into her mind, thoughts in which she ultimately subdued.

Despite mentioning these things to her leader, Koume understood that there probably wasn’t much that the lady could do to help her - at least not currently. "It’s nothing like home.” Somewhere she would much rather be…at least so she thought. Folding her arms across her chest, Koume would take an even closer look at the practice ring - something she herself had never witnessed in person before. It was truly a sight to behold for someone like Koume.

Focusing her attention back into Lady Kanoh, Koume would give the woman a thumbs up and quick nod. "I’m ready when you are!” Her voice echoed through the practice area.

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[newclass=.kikan]width: 65px; height: 65px; border: 1px solid #e3e3e3; transform: rotate(45deg); z-index: 2; margin-top: -27px; margin-bottom: -39px; filter: grayscale(100%);-webkit-filter: grayscale(100%);-moz-filter: grayscale(100%);[/newclass][newclass=.ig:hover .kikan]filter: grayscale(0%);-webkit-filter: grayscale(0%);-moz-filter: grayscale(0%); transition: 0.6s; transition-timing-function: linear;[/newclass][googlefont=Roboto][googlefont=Open+Sans]

[Kouga Kanoh]

‘Rocky’ was a pretty apt description for the cold and desolate stone wasteland the two Kusa nin had found themselves within. Tsuchi no Kuni, like any nation, had its share of plant life and flowing rivers but the atmosphere was oppressive. It no doubt weighed down on the shoulders of all of the shinobi here who weren’t traditionally considered allies. Though it was highly unlikely anyone in the country knew of Koume’s identity, she would without a doubt feel that pressure tenfold.

Her lips pursed as she imagined the sheets of grass pulled taut over each rolling hill and the vibrant jades of trees overhead and their reflection in streams underfoot. "I’m feeling homesick myself.” But Koume, and the rest of the Kusa nin in attendance here, would have to be strong. They were in hostile lands but they needed to demonstrate their strength regardless.

Kanoh nodded as Koume gave the go ahead and, while keeping her hand held in the same position, dropped it to aim toward the young girl. With a single flick in her direction, a monumental wave of energy would crash into Koume’s front and send her hurtling back into the wooden post in the center of the arena. It would continue to push her into the wooden form like a horizontal front of gravity, pressing her limbs against the bigger solid object.

"Now, just hold still for a moment~” With another quick hand seal, the etched characters on the face of two of the stone pillars lining the ring’s circumference would begin to glow. The pillars in question were the ones to Koume’s left and right. With their activation, the oppressive push that held the girl against the center post would begin to subside in favor of two lighter pulls. But, considering their proximity, these two forces should be strong enough to hold her in place still.

And they would be tearing her apart; two equally strong gravitational pulls trying to pull Koume toward them. The pain would be more than substantial. "Now, let’s begin!”

200+ words | @yamo

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[attr="class","ninety"]

[attr="class","joker"]

[attr="class","game"]

for @tagsomeonehere
notes here

[attr="class","kikan"]

"Homesick.” Koume mouthed the word quietly beneath her tongue. It was definitely a term that could be used to describe her feelings, despite only just reaching Kuwana days ago, that didn’t change the fact that she felt as if something was missing..something of great value..a piece of herself. Before allowing herself the chance to think herself further down into her feelings, the pinkette shook away most of the thoughts plaguing her mind - opting to rather focus on the training at hand.

After giving Kanoh the go ahead, Koume took a moment to gather herself. Deep breaths in and out helped keep her under control, as she felt she would definitely need it for whatever the Lady had planned. With the final exhale, the girl would give one final nod before taking her starting position. Her stance widened and staggered a bit as she kept one foot a step ahead of the other. A light bend in her knees while her forearms shielded her face as she began bracing for impact.

Within a moment’s notice, a wave of force much greater than anything Koume experienced before hit the teen like a bag of bricks. The girl was sent flying backwards rapidly, it felt as if she had been flying for an eternity and yet it was all a blur and before she could comprehend what exactly happened the sound of her slamming back first against the wooden post as well as the sound of every bit of oxygen leaving her body in an instant was all that the girl could hear. Even her thoughts seemingly went silent, her mind blank as she finally took a gasp for air - then it all came back to her. Before she was allowed the decency to fall, Koume would feel two opposite forces pulling her in both directions while keeping her on her feet.

"Grrrr.” The pinkette growled and gritted her teeth, trying to fight through the pain as a single tear ran down her cheek.

Ha! This is nothing brat, get through it!..

Now.. is not.. the time..

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[newclass=.kikan]width: 65px; height: 65px; border: 1px solid #e3e3e3; transform: rotate(45deg); z-index: 2; margin-top: -27px; margin-bottom: -39px; filter: grayscale(100%);-webkit-filter: grayscale(100%);-moz-filter: grayscale(100%);[/newclass][newclass=.ig:hover .kikan]filter: grayscale(0%);-webkit-filter: grayscale(0%);-moz-filter: grayscale(0%); transition: 0.6s; transition-timing-function: linear;[/newclass][googlefont=Roboto][googlefont=Open+Sans]

[Kouga Kanoh]

The tugging from either side would persist, the girl’s entire body pulled right and left at the same time. From moment to fleeting moment it would feel as though she would cave in and one force would get the better of her, ripping her from the other and forcing her to curl in on herself, but the opposite end would always balance out.

Kanoh stepped forward into the ring for the first time, her form seemingly unaffected by the competing gravitational fields as she surveyed Koume’s struggle. While what she was undergoing was painful, it shouldn’t be life threatening. After all, the forces pulling her were not yet at full strength, though that could be remedied later if she did well in this first round.

And admittedly, so far anyway, she was putting on a good show. Her face was contorted into a pained look Kanoh was all too familiar with; a brave face despite the knife in her gut. But, that wouldn’t do. Grit was a product of strife and Kanoh wasn’t finished piling it on.

With elegant long strides she closed the distance before drawing her leg up and back. With a flash of movement, she’d extend her leg to connect with the girl’s side, allowing her to fall off center for a fraction of a second before gravity pulled her back to where she was.

The woman made a conscious effort to avoid the girl’s ribs but she’d hit high enough to also save the pair from any meaningful internal damage. The wound would bruise, but the actual damage shouldn’t be too severe. Of course, the surge of pain from both the strike and being forced back upright would be excruciating regardless.

200+ words | @yamo

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[attr="class","ninety"]

[attr="class","joker"]

[attr="class","game"]

for @tagsomeonehere
notes here

[attr="class","kikan"]

Oh, right pardon me, I didn’t mean to interrupt. Ha!..

Rokubi continued to poke fun at his jinchuriki, adding insult to injury as he watched on from within. Despite the fact that she was in pain however, the six tails had to admire the girl for doing what needs to be done for her to see progress.

Koume’s eyes were clenched tightly, using the dark as a temporary remedy for the pain she was actively experiencing. She needed to control her breathing if she were gonna last long against Kanoh, the woman packed a punch that even the teen herself was expecting. Having the wind knocked from her made it difficult to accomplish such a feat, but Koume did it regardless. With each exhale a wave of calmness washed over the girl - helping her take her mind off her current struggle.

Before the sound of footsteps became more and more prominent as the Kusa Lady closed the distance between herself and Koume. And even with her eyes still closed, the genin was aware enough to realize that she was bound to get struck with something so it would be best if she braced for impact.

"Uhf..”

Koume groaned out as Kanoh’s shin dug deep into the girl’s side, creating a fairly evident mark across her body.

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[newclass=.kikan]width: 65px; height: 65px; border: 1px solid #e3e3e3; transform: rotate(45deg); z-index: 2; margin-top: -27px; margin-bottom: -39px; filter: grayscale(100%);-webkit-filter: grayscale(100%);-moz-filter: grayscale(100%);[/newclass][newclass=.ig:hover .kikan]filter: grayscale(0%);-webkit-filter: grayscale(0%);-moz-filter: grayscale(0%); transition: 0.6s; transition-timing-function: linear;[/newclass][googlefont=Roboto][googlefont=Open+Sans]

[Kouga Kanoh]

While her resilience was impressive thus far, it more served to Kanoh that she wasn’t laying it on thick enough. She took a step back and, with a quick seal, dropped the gravitational forces that held the girl in place. They didn’t fall away in synch however, one disappearing to allow the other to tug Koume to the left before it too dissipated, leaving the girl an unbalanced mess hurtling to the floor.

Kanoh squatted down, cocking her head to the side to meet the gaze of the young girl if she looked up toward her assailant. "How’re you holding up?” Despite the sadistic nature of the training, the woman’s tone was genuine and soft; she obviously cared for the girl and didn’t want to actually injure her, be it in body or mind.

If the girl gave her approval to continue, Kanoh would help her up before gesturing back to the post. "As you were.”

When she was in position, Kanoh would reactivate the gravitational forces, though this time their pull was much more intense. The sensation would be felt throughout the girl’s entire body. Joints would struggle to stay in place and her muscles would ache as gravity threatened to tear them apart thread by thread. If she was able to avoid a violent headache amidst the waves of unending pain, ripping her apart limb from limb, then she would be one of the stronger ones. Kanoh knew that when she had undergone this style of training back in the day all she wanted was for the pain to overwhelm her and welcome the black of unconsciousness.

But it would never come. The pain was real but the body was only being tempered; not broken.

The woman waited, observing Koume’s reaction to the second round of much greater pain, before she would continue to add to the experience with her own strikes. So far, the girl was performing admirably, but everyone had a limit. Where was Koume's?

200+ words | @yamo

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[attr="class","ninety"]

[attr="class","joker"]

[attr="class","game"]

for @tagsomeonehere
notes here

[attr="class","kikan"]

Koume dropped to the stone floor like a sack of bricks, only after being thrown across it that is. The stone would cause a few scrapes and cuts, but nothing that the teen hadn’t seen before. Her eyes remained closed as she found herself lying flat on her stomach, face first onto the cold stone. Not how she thought this training session would go, but it was training nonetheless.

Her arms struggled to push her upper body off of the floor, pink strands covering the girl’s face as emerald hues look beyond the curtain of pink and into the woman’s eyes who crouched over her, there were a million things running through her mind, the most notably being "what the fuck just happened.” Nevertheless, Koume took Kanoh by the hand and pulled herself back up to her feet, a bit wobbly, but stable nonetheless. Her right hand rose to favor her left side as her left rose to wipe the tear from her cheek.

"Ugh. You know, I’m starting to think you’re enjoying this.” Her voice spoke out, answering Kanoh’s question. Though she was mostly joking, there was a hint of truth behind her words. It sucked being on the wrong end of a beat down, but it was better to be prepared and used to something than to go unprepared. Practically dragging herself back to the post, Koume held her arms out ready for the force to keep her in place like before - and so they did. However, this time around the pain increased exponentially and if Koume weren’t inhumanly flexible then she’d probably have a few dislocations by now. Perhaps she should give a bit of thanks to the Rokubi whenever the training came to an end.

"Errrahhhh!” Koume cried out as her muscles were quite literally being torn little by little. Her cries would echo throughout the arena, so much so that even a few passing by the training area would hear the jinchuriki’s screams.

ℳ𝒾𝓏𝑜.☽[newclass=.joker]width: 360px; height: 140px; padding: 20px; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -moz-transition: 3s all; -webkit-transition: 3s all; -o-transition: 3s all; transition: 1s all;[/newclass][newclass=.ig:hover .joker]background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4); -moz-transition: 3s all; -webkit-transition: 3s all; -o-transition: 3s all; transition: 1s all;[/newclass][newclass=.game]letter-spacing: 2px; text-align:center; line-height: 9px; margin-top:10px;opacity:0;font:bold 10px muli; color: #ffffff; text-transform: uppercase; -webkit-transition-duration:.3s;transition-delay: .3s;transition-duration:.3s;-moz-transition-duration:.5s;[/newclass][newclass=.game a]letter-spacing: 2px; font:bold 10px muli; font-style: italic; color: #ffffff;[/newclass][newclass=.ig:hover .game]margin-top:0px;opacity:1;transition-delay: .3s; -webkit-transition-duration:.3s;transition-duration:.3s;-moz-transition-duration:.5s;[/newclass][newclass=.ninety]width:400px;height:180px;background-image:url(https://i.imgur.com/9d8i188.jpg);[/newclass]

[newclass=.kikan]width: 65px; height: 65px; border: 1px solid #e3e3e3; transform: rotate(45deg); z-index: 2; margin-top: -27px; margin-bottom: -39px; filter: grayscale(100%);-webkit-filter: grayscale(100%);-moz-filter: grayscale(100%);[/newclass][newclass=.ig:hover .kikan]filter: grayscale(0%);-webkit-filter: grayscale(0%);-moz-filter: grayscale(0%); transition: 0.6s; transition-timing-function: linear;[/newclass][googlefont=Roboto][googlefont=Open+Sans]

[Kouga Kanoh]

It was impossible to hide the unsteady smirk that broke across the woman’s lips. The expression held a sea of confusion behind it; she didn’t entirely know herself how she felt about the training.

While there was definitely some part of Kanoh that did legitimately enjoy this kind of training, it was not for the reasons one would assume off the tin, and the bulk of her feeling was one of reluctance. She knew she had to push Koume, to teach the girl to not only withstand the pressures from the world around her, be they pain or literal gravity, but also the pressure that would come from within. There was no one in Kusagakure who this kind of training would benefit more.

So, while the Kusa Lady was apprehensive, what she enjoyed was the knowledge that this sort of training would help her student become a stronger shinobi.

When the girl was firmly in place and the gravity was back to tearing her apart, Kanoh went searching for something to help bring the process to the next level. Resting near the front of the ring were a pair of simple wooden escrima sticks. She reached down and wrapped her grip around one before turning back toward Koume. This was… admittedly a bit pathetic. A scene out of a movie, where Koume was a captor and Kanoh a torturer, fishing for information.

She shook the negative perception from her mind as she closed the distance. All physical training was a battle against your own body, forcing it to obey and demanding it push beyond what any initially believed it was capable of. This kind of training was just an… expedited process, so to speak.

Kanoh continued to justify her actions as she lifted the wooden stick high into the air before bringing it down hard against Koume’s right thigh.

200+ words | @yamo

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[attr="class","ninety"]

[attr="class","joker"]

[attr="class","game"]

for @tagsomeonehere
notes here

[attr="class","kikan"]

Koume could feel every fiber of her being burning as the gravitational pull from both sides started to rip and shred the teen’s muscles. It was excruciating to say the least, however it seemed that even the Rokubi thought she was handling it like a champ. Despite the few tears that ran down her face as she clenched her eyes tightly only hoping and praying that it’ll all come to an end soon.

"Errrrr.”

She groaned behind gritted teeth as she hung her head in defeat. She had to admit the idea of just simply giving up was surely creeping into her mind. She’s the type to wear her heart on her sleeves, so there was no confusion, the tears she shed and the screams she let out were as real as it could get. Koume attempted to control her breathing, taking in deep breaths and exhaling slowly. Pain is just as much mental strength than it is physical tolerance, so perhaps if the pinkette controlled her mind the pain would lessen.

At least that’s what she thought from previous experiences, and it was working to a degree that is until the blunt force from the escrima stick smacking across her thigh knocked her out of concentration while adding even more pain for her battle. "Hnn.” She groaned in pain. Koume’s head shot back up towards the sky, her emerald eyes becoming more vibrant and brighter as the luminous glow increased.

If Kanoh was attentive enough, the lady would notice that her nails and canines were growing rapidly. Her groans of pain quickly turned into grunts of frustration and anger - Koume was noticing this as well and quickly grew concerned as she had not initiated any transformation from the six tails. But she refused to panic.

At this point not only was it a battle of endurance but now it was a battle of her mental strength as well. The Rokubi was aware of the stress and pain that Koume was under, so he decided to throw a wrench into both of their plans by allowing more of his chakra to become accessible to the girl and seeing what would happen.

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ℳ𝒾𝓏𝑜.☽[newclass=.joker]width: 360px; height: 140px; padding: 20px; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -moz-transition: 3s all; -webkit-transition: 3s all; -o-transition: 3s all; transition: 1s all;[/newclass][newclass=.ig:hover .joker]background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4); -moz-transition: 3s all; -webkit-transition: 3s all; -o-transition: 3s all; transition: 1s all;[/newclass][newclass=.game]letter-spacing: 2px; text-align:center; line-height: 9px; margin-top:10px;opacity:0;font:bold 10px muli; color: #ffffff; text-transform: uppercase; -webkit-transition-duration:.3s;transition-delay: .3s;transition-duration:.3s;-moz-transition-duration:.5s;[/newclass][newclass=.game a]letter-spacing: 2px; font:bold 10px muli; font-style: italic; color: #ffffff;[/newclass][newclass=.ig:hover .game]margin-top:0px;opacity:1;transition-delay: .3s; -webkit-transition-duration:.3s;transition-duration:.3s;-moz-transition-duration:.5s;[/newclass][newclass=.ninety]width:400px;height:180px;background-image:url(https://i.imgur.com/9d8i188.jpg);[/newclass]

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[Kouga Kanoh]

In the span of a single breath, the atmosphere changed from a contained training to a scene that had the potential to grow in danger and explode outward with ripple effects that could damage Koume, Kanoh and their village. If this went much further, Kanoh would struggle to hold Koume back and she had no idea whether or not the girl had already explored this aspect of her power.

But maybe this was necessary training too.

Kanoh’s eyes narrowed as she watched Koume’s features shift slightly and the quality of her voice changed to something much more ominous. The Kusa Lady felt it doubly as a sensor nin as the wave of chakra that burst forth from the girl washed over the woman, threatening to douse the flame of any other in the area; an oppressive and powerful energy, the chakra of the Rokubi.

With eyes alight with curiosity and scrutiny, battling for supremacy, the woman leant in, accepting the pulsing chakra like a jet engine of force outward. Whether she wanted them to or not, the gravitational forces holding Koume back would begin to subside. Her eyes flashed to the invisible loosening restraints in the form of the young girl’s thrashing arms growing ever more unfettered. "Tch... Koume.” She turned back to look the girl in the eyes, her tone intense and commanding. "Are you still here? Talk to me.”

Regardless of the girl’s answer, the Kusa Lady would form three quick seals before placing her hands on the ground before her. Seals of imprisonment would spread out in a large circle, trapping everything within in place. This, in tandem with what remained of the gravitational weight holding Koume, should be enough to contain the aggression of the beast within her should it try to funnel more chakra into its host.

All that was left was for Koume to gather herself. If she was in pain before, the Kusa Lady could scant imagine the intensity of her discomfort as her body began to contort and give way to the powerful chakra within her. But she had faith in the girl; she could weather this storm as well.

200+ words | @yamo

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for @tagsomeonehere
notes here

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It would have been incredibly easy for her to just give up, say that she couldn’t take anymore or simply stopped responding to Kanoh as the woman inquired about her well-being. The girl could have also just let Rokubi’s chakra wash completely over her - it all would have been over in an instant. However, Koume was a very headstrong and determined girl, quitting wasn’t in her blood and despite not knowing exactly who she was - the girl understood that it just wasn't in her DNA to give up so easily.

"Ahhh-I’m…fine..grhha.” She wasn't fine, but she was definitely still there fortunately. So long as a tail didn't form, then the two should be fine, but there was no telling how far the six tails would take it, and it seemed as if Kanoh didn’t want to take any chances. Rightfully so. Koume could only hear and feel the world around her as her eyes remained closed, so as the woman added more restraints Koume would feel a bit more safe in the woman’s presence. The gravitational force pulling her began to weaken so to speak, but the girl didn't want to end it yet. Part of her wanted to ask Kanoh to put more chakra into the technique, but she wasn't sure how far the rokubi would try to take it.

More and more chakra began to flow through the girl’s body, and flashbacks began to ensue. Memories of her first-time losing control returned to her which only induced more fear and worry within the pinkette’s mind, even causing other unpleasant experiences to make their way into her thoughts - which was exactly what the six tails wanted.

"Come on..focus!”

Koume reminded herself in her thoughts that she needed to remain concentrated and calm. Roku was simply testing her resolve and ability to overcome, though doing so in a very dangerous way, but she managed to assure herself that she wasn’t in any danger despite being in a great deal of pain and stress. On the exterior, she looked to be in turmoil as it was only natural to be uncomfortable while in pain. But on the inside the pinkette was still, calm, and level headed. Refusing to let anything break her.

ℳ𝒾𝓏𝑜.☽[newclass=.joker]width: 360px; height: 140px; padding: 20px; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -moz-transition: 3s all; -webkit-transition: 3s all; -o-transition: 3s all; transition: 1s all;[/newclass][newclass=.ig:hover .joker]background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4); -moz-transition: 3s all; -webkit-transition: 3s all; -o-transition: 3s all; transition: 1s all;[/newclass][newclass=.game]letter-spacing: 2px; text-align:center; line-height: 9px; margin-top:10px;opacity:0;font:bold 10px muli; color: #ffffff; text-transform: uppercase; -webkit-transition-duration:.3s;transition-delay: .3s;transition-duration:.3s;-moz-transition-duration:.5s;[/newclass][newclass=.game a]letter-spacing: 2px; font:bold 10px muli; font-style: italic; color: #ffffff;[/newclass][newclass=.ig:hover .game]margin-top:0px;opacity:1;transition-delay: .3s; -webkit-transition-duration:.3s;transition-duration:.3s;-moz-transition-duration:.5s;[/newclass][newclass=.ninety]width:400px;height:180px;background-image:url(https://i.imgur.com/9d8i188.jpg);[/newclass]

[newclass=.kikan]width: 65px; height: 65px; border: 1px solid #e3e3e3; transform: rotate(45deg); z-index: 2; margin-top: -27px; margin-bottom: -39px; filter: grayscale(100%);-webkit-filter: grayscale(100%);-moz-filter: grayscale(100%);[/newclass][newclass=.ig:hover .kikan]filter: grayscale(0%);-webkit-filter: grayscale(0%);-moz-filter: grayscale(0%); transition: 0.6s; transition-timing-function: linear;[/newclass][googlefont=Roboto][googlefont=Open+Sans]

[Kouga Kanoh]

Despite the imminent danger of the situation, the disaster that lurked at the edge and threatened to plummet into the Earth and destroy them both, the words that managed to escape through Koume’s gritted teeth served to ease the older woman’s concern. She was still here, she was still thinking with her own mind. In the precarious balance of fight versus flight that Kanoh had created with this training, Koume was doing… okay.

Kanoh reached out, breaching the veritable field of intensity, to place her hand on Koume’s back. She hoped that the girl would be able to use the sensation as a light in the darkness, a sensation that was separate from the influence of the tailed beast within her. "Shh…, you’re doing fine…” Soft cooing of encouragement like a mother to her daughter.

Kanoh wasn’t a mom by any stretch of the imagination; not just in that she actually wasn’t one, but in that she lacked the gentle bedside manner and patient diligence of one. But something about this moment made her yearn for nothing but Koume’s safety. She didn’t care about the political tension in the area, she didn’t care about her own wellbeing should Koume lose control– all she could think of was how to best help the girl through this.

And she hoped Koume could feel that through the woman’s gentle touch.

The pressure would only further subside until all that was holding Koume was the fuinjutsu that clung to her ankles and the hand on her back which became an embrace as the Kusa Lady brought her other arm across her form, if Koume allowed it of course, to give her another stable point of contact. Another sign that she wasn’t alone. "It’s all okay now. Come back down. You’ve done so much today and you’re safe. You don't need to hurt anymore, Koume.”

200+ words | @yamo