[Kyuumu Suzaku]

The boy was blind, crying and curled up surrounded by bright lights and noises, the heart of Kuwana's downtown district in the middle of the night. His sunglasses that protected his vision from such lights shattered beneath him, the victim of an angry girls ire he'd been trying to make friends with, and who'd abandoned him upon realizing just how sensitive the boy was to bright artificial lights, especially at night. The young teen didn't know what to do, unable to think with the migraine pain of watching blinding lights flicker in different intervals, one flickering off right as another flickered on to shine directly in his face. For everyone else, they'd notice nothing, but Suzaku's enhanced vision meant he could each blink of the artificial bulbs, in slow motion, his brain unable to adjust, and causing an excruciating headache. But right as he'd given up hope, he felt a hand grab him. He tried to look at the person, but couldn't make them out. Then, a second hand. Then a third, and the scruffy haired boy suddenly realized who it was. And then, Suzaku woke up, no longer in Kuwana but in his own bed, in a dark room, in Kumogakure.

The orange haired boy looked dejected and embarrassed as he went to meet his sensei, especially after last night's dream. Guilt. Embarrassment. What must he think of him, not only did he find him like that, as his dream last night so vividly reminded him, but he'd lost the first fight of the elimination round, not even able to make it to the second round of the fights. It was humiliating, and the young teen had been upset ever since he came back, something his sensei had commented on in a team meeting. But now the rest of the team wasn't gonna be here, it was an individual meeting, and the boy was looking straight at the ground with a blush of shame as he did, approaching the meet up spot. What did sensei think of him really, he hadn't yelled or been negative after it had all been over, but is that what he really thought? Suzaku wasn't living up to his expectations as heir of the Outai, and now he he felt he'd let his own teacher down. The orange haired boy was certain he had good reason to be depressed, no matter how people tried cheer him up.

[Eitama Sora]

SORA

❴ down came the rain ❵

There had been a time for disparaging feelings, to feel down, rejected, sad about the outcome of the exams and even traumatized about events that transpired outside of them. Negative feelings were as human as breathing and expecting someone to let everything roll off of them wasn't practical and was actually a sure fire way to end up holding onto those emotions and letting them drag you down. They occupied space, took over ones thoughts and interfered with focus. It was human to let that happen, but overcoming them was the true definition of resilience and the burden fell upon Sora to ensure that his genin would work his way through those feelings and return to a decent state of mind.

He had known better than to let any of his team enter those exams in Iwa, but the light requirements --which to this day still seemed odd to him-- added to the group's eagerness eventually led to the man relenting. Sora knew the three would struggle and that they did, but Suzaku had the worst of it for reasons not entirely related to the exams themselves. The details were still murky but the boy had gotten himself accosted by some other exam taker and left in the streets of Kuwana, it was where Sora had found him and since that day he hadn't so much as picked his head up without being told to. The Mayonaka blamed himself for not keeping better track of his charges in addition to not preparing them better for the exams as a whole. Granted, Takame had technically passed but he was still a ways from being ready to take that next step; the next exams would be here in no time so they'd have to move with a sense of urgency if the remaining two had any hopes of passing.

A deep breath from the multi-armed man as he watched Suzaku stroll into the training grounds, head down again and looking overall despondent. "Is the ground going to teach you a new technique today?" Sora would ask. This was a sensitive time for the boy and while Sora was going to do his best to be gentle there needed to be at least a little fire to get the genin going again.

❴ Notes go here! ❵
❴ Kyuumu Suzaku ❵

❤

[Kyuumu Suzaku]

It was deja-vu of sorts, a repeat of their interactions between student and teacher lately. The young teen visibly dejected and downtrodden, requiring an even more delicate approach than the already high strung boy usually did. Needing to be constantly told to keep his scruffy and poofy haired head up, but it somehow always ended up looking back at the ground. He was taking his loss a lot harder than most others that had participated, or at least it felt like that to the isolated teen, having seen others others during the exams afterwards looking cheerful, having heard of the party that'd been held by their very own Raikage. Even his own teammates seemed to have moved on, yet he was still stuck in the past. Frustrated at the helplessness he'd found himself in at the end. That was what he hated most, how it'd ended. So...anticlimactically. Trapped in a genjutsu, it was over the moment it began. It had been pathetic.

But the world hadn't ended that day, and he hadn't died, so he had to keep moving on. Something his sensei was keen to keep pushing, even if the boy managed to keep forgetting the lesson that was being pushed. Perhaps that was the reason that the boys sensei wanted to meet up with him one-on-one, for multiple lessons. Though there did seem to be more than a moral lesson here as well, though he would have to stop staring at the ground to learn it, something the burned man before him noted. N-No...Sorry. I-I'm ready for today's lesson... It wasn't a very confident answer. Nor was it filled with contempt as Takame's might be, not filled with boredom as Natsuo's might be. But it was pure and sincere, and it was an answer that suited the teen, showing exam or no he was still him underneath. Though while the young teen might be easy to get worked up, getting pumped up was a different story, and required a bit more fuel than usual.

[Eitama Sora]

SORA

❴ down came the rain ❵

This was going to be a mighty endeavor, and not just teaching the boy a fundamental technique, no, Sora was going to have to get the boy's confidence back up if he had any hope of being able to focus on learning. That, however, was something that could have had them there all day by itself so he'd need to incorporate it into the training. "Good. So today we'll be focusing on the water walking technique. It's one of the essential jutsu for all shinobi and regardless of how simple it may seem it will set the foundation for you being able to focus and control your chakra." Sora would speak before taking a few steps towards the small yet surprisingly deep river that flowed through the training grounds.

"The first thing you'll need to do is focus chakra to the soles of your feet, but balance is key. Too little and you'll fall right in the water, too much and your foot will rebound off of the surface and send you tumbling; either way it's not a situation you want to be in. Watch closely." Holding a single seal the multi-armed man would gather a fine amount of chakra towards the bottom of his feet before stepping out onto the surface of the water as if it were solid ground.

"We'll start simple so stand by the edge of the river and work on focusing chakra to one foot first then stepping onto the surface." He spoke. There was little chance any genin would be able to focus the right amount of chakra to both feet at once on their first attempt, especially one whose confidence was shot, so they'd start slow and work their way up.

❴ Notes go here! ❵
❴ Kyuumu Suzaku ❵

❤

[Kyuumu Suzaku]

The teen was trying his best to pay attention to his talking teacher, focusing on him as he explained the importance of this jutsu, how it was the stepping stone for his learning for many of the future jutsus he'd be learning, and mastering his Chakra. But right now the boy found himself zoning in and out of this conversation, too preoccupied with his own intrusive thoughts to be catching every single word.

I wonder if he realizes I'm distracted...

I wonder if that'll make him upset...

What if he decides not to recommend me for the next exam because he thinks I don't care...

The boy let out a small groan, shaking his head. The teen was inside his own head as much as the exams were, and those had been months ago now. He knew he needed to move on, but his habit of bottling things up was coming back to bit him, unable to properly vent. All he could find was temporary relief in things, and it felt like the only way to find true release was to show that he wasn't some screw up, that all the expectations on him were well placed. Or, he hoped anyways.

Thankfully he was brought back to the real world again as his ponytail wearing teacher brought him to the riverfront, and actually realized something as his sensei explained how the jutsu itself worked, focusing Chakra on his feet to achieve balance. He already knew how to do this. Kinda. His clan had a technique to run on top of ground surfaces without leaving a trace, focusing Chakra on his feet so that even a grassy field would remain looking fresh and pristine, not a blade of grass broken. His mind was racing again, his sensei likely noticing he wasn't exactly paying too close attention to the example he was doing, not watching how the water reacted. So focused on the similarities of the technique that he was forgetting the differences his sensei's very example highlighted.

However,the boy did nod when directed to give it a try. OK...This shouldn't be too hard. And the boy poured Chakra into hid feet, just like he did when he wanted to run across the ground without leaving a trace. In fact, it was exactly like that, he found himself subconsciously using his clans technique. Though, it should be interchangeable right? And at first, he thought it was, his first step slowly holding his weight on the water, not sinking in on the edge. It does work! Sensei, look! And then the boy took a big step forward with his second foot, and the differences between techniques became apparent, as the Chakra broke, and the scraggly haired boy found himself underwater in the deceptively deep river, swimming to the top, his hair now straight but covering his eyes and face, as he coughed from his surprise plunge. Uhhhhhh.... The boy let out a small groan as he pulled himself on land, now wet and sad.

SPOILER: Click to show

TECH USED:

---

NAME: Fukumigoe Yasou [Muffled Voice of Field Grass]
RANK: D
CHAKRA USAGE: Very Low [Continuous]
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu
ELEMENT: --
DESCRIPTION:
A Kyuumu clan technique where the user gathers chakra at the sole's of their feet as to create a extended barrier between their feet and the surface they are walking upon. In doing so, with precision control, the user is capable of effectively both muffling the noise created by their step and prevent said step from creating any sort of imprint upon the ground by allowing them by allowing them to stand upon any solid surface as through they themselves were a mere feather.

[Eitama Sora]

SORA

❴ down came the rain ❵

It was always a crapshoot when it came to explaining the building blocks of jutsu, especially the fundamental ones, especially especially to a teenager. Some were eager and hang onto every word, most were ambivalent at best and you could almost see the words flowing through one either and out of the other. Suzaku seemed to be of the latter, if the words were even reaching him at all. If the boy had it his way they would have simply spent the entire day crawled into a hole away from everything wallowing in pity and not so pleasant memories. There was validation in acknowledging feelings of sadness but there was a threshold where it would become one's guiding principle and a never ending spiral and it was an experience that the boy was currently going through. Sora was here for him, of course, but his words would only mean so much if Suzaku did not take the initiative to better his situation.

The man would watch as his genin gave the technique a go for the first time and noticed something odd: the water was still. Even for experienced shinobi there was still a minute disturbance on the surface yet here there was nothing. That fleeting moment of success had pulled the hubris out of Suzaku and well before he should have the boy took a second step before plunging beneath the surface. A mostly inaudible sigh escaped the Mayonaka as he watched the young boy pull himself out of the water.

"I imagine that is something you learned elsewhere, and while it may be similar to what we're learning today there is a reason water walking is considered a fundamental technique. Pick yourself up and start with the instructions I gave you. Your talent with controlling chakra is noted so it shouldn't be difficult to get the grasp of the jutsu, but rushing ahead is just going to keep you soaked." Sora spoke. Perhaps with some success here it would help to push the negative thoughts out of Suzaku's head, or at the very least distract him long enough to improve as a shinobi.

❴ Notes go here! ❵
❴ Kyuumu Suzaku ❵

❤

[Kyuumu Suzaku]

The boy lied in the bank of the river, facedown as if trying to drown himself in the sand. In truth, he was just trying to hide his face after that debacle. He'd really thought he had it figured out, that today at least he could get a win. That his clans technique would be enough, it had seemed so similar in concept, in how his teacher had done it.

Even now, the immature boy wasn't really thinking of how he'd paid some attention to the example, had missed the ripples of the water, the fact his sensei had been standing on top of the water, not creating a Chakra barrier between his foot and the water. A barrier that stopped being useful when the boy submerged it underwater, and with it the rest of him. And the boy wasn't quite be able to notice or appreciate how his mind was racing again, only half following his sensei's lecture. Hopefully the experienced teacher wouldn't be able to notice either with his face in the ground.

The boy let out another moan before he picked himself up eventually though, as instructed, his face still bright red from embarrassment. It was so red it looked as if it'd dried him off from the heat his blush gave off, the front of his face not nearly as wet as the rest of him, though the bits of sand still clinging to the boys cheeks might suggest a different cause. Still, he tried to prepare himself for a second go, the words of his sensei ringing in his head, the ones he'd caught anyways. And one word in particular kept bouncing around. Fundamentals.

I'm the future head of my clan and I'm stuck on the fundamentals... The orange haired boy was grumbling to himself, a slip before he could stop himself. And it revealed some of the teens feelings and frustrations. The expectations he was putting on himself. As if heirs were simply born different and knowing the basics from start, and had never had to train from the beginning or made mistakes along the way.

[Eitama Sora]

SORA

❴ down came the rain ❵

Truth be told what Sora believed to be the causes of Suzaku's mental and emotional ailing were directly related to his experiences during the most recent chunin exams where quite a bit of understandably haunting things took place outside of the actual test itself, and for that the man was giving his charge quite a bit of leeway when it came to his training. The man had no desire to coddle the genin, of course, but shouting the boy back into tip top shape was not really an option. However, hearing the muttered words peeled back a curtain that all at once exposed what Sora once believed to be causes as mere symptoms instead. Pressure seemed to be the culprit after all.

It was impossible to tell from that small blurb alone if it was being caused by the boy's clan or what he felt what was being imposed on him by the rest of the Kyuumu, but either way it was clear that Suzaku was feeling it. Having no experience with the political weight of a clan outside of vague memories from his early youth Sora knew little about the inner workings of clan hierarchy's and what was expected of those who led and one day would lead yet it was a safe bet to assume that excellence was assumed at every turn and --at the very least-- the clan would not be embarrassed at the worlds biggest stages; granted, Takame had done well enough to pass but the warm feelings from that --if any-- were probably overshadowed by Suzaku's performance.

Sora would take a deep breath as he brought a hand to his chin in contemplation, the other five idling about as if waiting for some kind of eureka moment. They were going to have to deal with the kid's mindset if they had any hope of getting his confidence out of the gutter (and definitely before any further attempts at learning jutsu were tried). "Alright Suzaku hold on a moment. You're not going to get very far if your mind is occupied with something else, and it seems to be weighing on you pretty heavy, so take a couple deep breaths and tell me everything that's going on. Spare no detail: friends, family, the chunin exams, if your breakfast was nasty. Let it all out."

The goal was to get everything out in the open to allow the boy to just get some stuff off of his chest without fear of judgement or repercussion and then with hopefully a clearer mind Suzaku would be able to continue with his training.

❴ Notes go here! ❵
❴ Kyuumu Suzaku ❵

❤

[Kyuumu Suzaku]

NO!...I-I mean, ummmm, I-I'm fine...My day was fine...If there was one thing the Kyuumu were known for besides birds, it was their isolationist attitudes towards the outside world, including the village. While ones day to day interactions would vary depending on which branch member you were talking too, at the end of the day the clan was pretty secretive towards most things. So when his six-armed sensei suggested opening up, Suzaku found himself shouting almost on pure instinct, before stammering a more calm response. Handling the conversation in his usual awkward manner, the isolationism meaning he rarely interacted with his peers, never learned how to talk to others.

Yet the orange haired teen was different, he wasn't particularly aloof, nor was he a hardcore follower of his branches doctrine. The idea that while ignoring the outside world caused more problems then it solved by breeding ignorance, trusting it was foolish. An idealogy that gave birth to the branch motto "A consumed corpse speaks naught." But the teenaged boy, the heir to the branch that created this doctrine, couldn't find it in himself to be swallowed by such black and white thinking. He saw things with more grey, where people weren't just a mix of potential and active threats to the clan, but instead allies. People like his sensei for example, the revelation of which caused the boy to squirm slightly in place from the newfound pressure from within.

Or...Well...I guess I'm just wondering...How do you know when you're ready? For...Everything? Being heir came with many expections. Excellence, skill. Ideology. And it seemed like he clashed with all of these things. He didn't know why he felt the way he did sometimes, as if maybe there was more to expanding one's view than to just watch for threats to the clan. A viewpoint his family branch held so dearly. His father held so dearly. Did having doubts mean he wasn't ready? He'd thought he was ready for the Chuunin exam but that'd ended in disaster. So, he did the only thing he could think of. Take a leap of faith, and open up to an outsider.

[Eitama Sora]

SORA

❴ down came the rain ❵

A brow would raise at the resounding retort from Suzaku which was immediately spun into a whimper of an answer. It was now clear more than ever that something was eating at the boy and a combination of familial pressure and anxiety had him ready to break. The Kyuumu's secrecy was in and of itself not a secret which created many an opinion about the clan. They were not a trusting group nor did they readily heed the advice of those put in charge of them, Takame being a prime example, and that combination added onto the expectation of one day leading said clan produced the sad looking child standing in front of the Mayonaka.

With that said, Sora would not lash out at the boy, instead he would wait for Suzaku to work through what he needed to actually answer the question posed. The door had been opened for the genin to speak his mind freely and truth be told with how much was on his mind he wasn't going to be able to focus on learning a new technique until he got some of it off his chest anyway, so he hoped that the boy would realize that sooner than later.

Eventually the boy would speak up once more this time with a question of his own. It was an interesting one that confirmed some of Sora's suspicions about what was stressing him out yet vague enough to where the man wouldn't be able to give a concrete answer to help him with any single problem he was facing. Still, he'd need to try his best to say something that would help him get a handle of all the things life was currently throwing at him.

"Simple answer is... you don't know. Thinking that you could ever be prepared for every single situation that can happen in your life is a sure-fire way to not be able to get anything accomplished; even the strongest shinobi in the world don't have an answer for everything. But what you can do is start with one thing, perhaps a common thread that all of your problems have, and figure out how to overcome that obstacle. Then all of a sudden you have a starting point to begin working on another piece of the problem, soon enough you have all the pieces to the puzzle figured out." Sora would give Suzaku a few moments to process his answer, it probably wasn't what the boy wanted to hear in lieu of something more concrete that would fix all of his problems in one fell swoop.

"One solid piece of advice I can give you though is that no one has ever figured out how to solve all of their problems keeping everything bottled up. It may be embarrassing or against what you've been taught to let others in, but oftentimes getting a different perspective can help you find a solution. And as a bonus, the more people you talk to the easier it becomes to talk to people which is an invaluable skill to have in life."

❴ Notes go here! ❵
❴ Kyuumu Suzaku ❵

❤

[Kyuumu Suzaku]

Suzaku didn't really know what answer he had been expecting exactly. Really after hearing it, it made sense the answer was "you don't know". But that didn't change just how unsatisfying it made it to hear it said aloud. He couldn't help but wonder what his clan elders might have said, though the self-questioning teen was pretty sure he knew the answer to that as well. That he would know he was ready when they said he was ready. That was how it was in the Kyuumu clan, you listened to the elders, their word was sacrosanct. He'd even heard rumors that Kyuumu who abandoned the village could be called to heel, missing-nin returning upon their orders. It was so stifilingly controlled that the meek, shy boy had a bit of a rebellious reputation. Often nicknamed "Konran" due to his softer than normal stance on his clans views, his father convinced it was just a teenage phase and didn't need to be corrected. And it seems the elders agreed, after all, what Kyuumu would defy them?

But joining a genin team for the village had given him another authority figure. Someone just as experienced in life as his clan elders, his earned experience plain to see in the form of scars. Yet this life the man had led hadn't left him solitary or bitter as his clansmen saw things, but instead he'd turned into the inquisitive and caring sensei the teen had always known. Someone who was trying to listen to him for a change, instead of expecting him to listen. In fact that's all he ever had done, the orange haired boy realizing he didn't know the man's life story. How he'd earned his scars. He'd never thought to ask, and the pony tailed man had been more concerned with him. The boy started getting stir-crazy again, tapping his foot as these realizations came to him, as he turned inward in thought. Then he stood up. Focus on one thing, huh...

And so he took a deep breath, and tried to calm his racing mind, to focus on centering his Chakra at the soles of his feet. Then he'd take a small step in the water, like his sensei had advised before. And while it only would've gotten his feet wet if he'd fallen in this time, he was balanced. My clan...Doesn't really like different viewpoints much. Heck, we split into three families because we disagreed on our viewpoints. It wasn't unknown knowledge, or even that uncommon, but revealing anything about the clan was a huge taboo, yet the boy openly did so. Would that mean I'm a bad heir if...I did try and see more?

[Eitama Sora]

SORA

❴ down came the rain ❵

It was an uncertain moment as Sora was unsure how the boy would react to his answer. He was looking for a one stop shop remedy to a plethora of problems and that just wasn't something the man was able to provide, so would Suzaku crawl back into his shell upon hearing his words or heed his advice and use it to begin making his own path in life? He watched the genin rise to his feet and focus himself once more, a different aura surrounding him than when he first showed up to the training ground, causing his sensei to crack a very, very small smile.

Sora would watch as the boy placed a single foot on the water and --to his surprise-- it didn't go beneath the surface. Perhaps the thoughts that had been haunting him were not gone, in fact they were definitely still there, but it seemed that Suzaku had managed to push them to the side long enough to focus on the task at hand. He would listen to the boy speak on how the Kyuumu were vehemently against beliefs other than their own, a fact that had splintered the clan internally while also causing more than a fair bit of friction within the village, before asking if seeking out other opinions would frame him as a bad heir?

"No one person has all the answers, and it is impossible to see the full picture from a single angle. Collaboration and the sharing of ideas and beliefs are how societies are formed, how our village was created, and none of that would exist if people refused to seek out other viewpoints." This was a tricky situation considering who Suzaku was, or one day would be, and Sora wanted to avoid saying anything that would put the boy in dire straits with his family.

"With that said, the Kyuumu have found a way to exist for a very long time by being staunch in their beliefs, so I don't mean to abandon all their teachings, but use what you've been taught in conjunction with a different perspective and I guarantee you'll find solutions to whatever problems you're having much easier. Now that was a good attempt, try standing on the water with both feet then we'll move along. You have decent chakra control so there was no doubt in my mind you'd pick up this jutsu quickly."

❴ Notes go here! ❵
❴ Kyuumu Suzaku ❵

❤

[Kyuumu Suzaku]

It was funny how things worked out sometimes, how getting stuck in one's own head could psych one out. Or how becoming obsessed with a certain aspect could simply cloud ones judgment. He'd thought that his own clan jutsus would be sufficient, after all the Kyuumu liked to think that way, that all they need is their way of life and jutsus to find success. The young teen had thought his clan jutsu of walking on solid surfaces would work on a non-solid surface simply because they were similar, and on paper it made sense. But now that he was actually doing it, he could feel the difference. Not just cause of how he wasn't sinking into the water this time, but in how the jutsu itself was done. Not every problem could be solved with a Kyuumu solution. Seek out other viewpoints huh... The boy was starting to retreat into his own head again, a habit of the introverted teen.

But before that could effect his performance, he was encouraged to take another step out into the water. And for a moment he hesitated, looking at his multiple armed sensei and back out into the water, before tepidly taking another step. He didn't want tok fall in. Again. But, his sensei's faith wasn't misplaced as with another step he'd still be standing! H-Hey! I did it! You were right sensei! He looked up smiling, just as he had when he'd falsely believed he'd gotten it last time. But this time, he stayed afloat. You know my branch. The Outai. It means "Lone". We're supposed the be the in-between, not fully accepting but not fully dismissive of the outside world. A...Different perspective. A blend out the outside world and Kyuumu...I kinda like that. Sensei said that solutions to problems came easier with different viewpoints, so how strong must the bridge be that connects them?

[Eitama Sora]

SORA

❴ down came the rain ❵

A small smile would cross Sora's face upon seeing Suzaku's successful attempt, the boy still had a ways to go before perfecting the technique but his progress from mere minutes ago was leaps and bounds better. "It's not so difficult when your mind is able to focus on one thing at a time." He would respond. The genin would speak on how his branch of the Kyuumu was a hybrid of the other two, they still held their fast to their own beliefs but didn't completely wall themselves off from hearing what others had to say. Truth be told that sounded like the balance Suzaku was looking for, or at least the beginning stages of it. Sora wasn't sure just how much of the clan's beliefs the genin took to heart compared to what he would have liked to change from outside opinion but there looked to be a group of people that were there to support him, he just needed the confidence to lead them.

"Well it sounds to me you've had one of the answers to your problems under your nose the entire time. Utilize your resources and don't believe for a moment you have to shoulder all these problems alone." Sora replied. It was worldly advice that his father had given him when he was around Suzaku's age and dealing with similar problems, though in comparison they were nothing next to the weight of one day leading a clan.

Refocusing on the task at hand it was now time for the next step of their training: movement. Being able to stand on the waters surface was good and all but if you couldn't actually take consistent steps then you'd just be a sitting duck. "It looks like you've got the standing part down, now try taking some steps. Remember to adjust your chakra to what part of your foot is and isn't touching the water so you don't stick yourself to the surface."

❴ Notes go here! ❵
❴ Kyuumu Suzaku ❵

❤

[Kyuumu Suzaku]

His sensei was right, it really did feel easier when he was able to focus on one thing at a time. When he was able to quiet the intrusive thoughts that always seemed to find their way into his mind, how his anxieties led him to become lost in his own head. But now things were calm, peaceful, it was easier to focus with the pressures of daily life dissipating. It was the same feeling he got when he tried to find moments for himself, like that day he saw the flock of herons when he'd been trying to find a way to relieve some stress. It'd felt so calming, surrounded by a serene white filling the sky.

While this wasn't quite as nice, quite as peaceful, it was still nice. Finding a calm peace of mind, from which he could find focus. It was why he didn't feel like his heart was going to explode in the fighting ring, he only had to focus on one thing. The fight. And now, his fight was with mastering this ability, and he'd start taking some steps. It was shaky at first, his feet would visibly get stuck to the waters a few times, but only slightly. And importantly, he'd still maintain balance, able to once again his footing. And soon enough, he'd be walking semi-normally. Unmastered, but he had definitely gotten the hang of the technique.

He looked back at the ponytailed man, smiling once more. How's that? The young teen was blushing now slightly, not from exertion but of anticipation and slight embarassment. The praise he'd been receiving throughout the day hadn't escaped his notice, while he might not have commented on it at the time, it's effects were now apparent in the form of the redness spread across his face. And it only got redder when the caring man pointed out he wasn't alone. His face went from smiling too visit embarrassed, caught off guard slightly by the gesture as the blush deepened. O-Oh, ummmm...Y-Yeah. You're right, sensei...I-Ill remember th-AAAT!

Splishh!!

It seemed the boys own distractions had caused him to lose focus, stop maintaining the jutsu. And thus, once again, under the water he went. And he'd once again, drag himself back onto land. Soaking wet. Again. Though he didn't look like he was about to cry this time at least. So...Any more wise words for the day, sensei? Maybe next time he'll remember to NOT wear his jacket while practicing on water in the cold. Next time.

[Exit]