[nara iniko]

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Iniko was acting strange today. It wasn’t abnormal for her to be early somewhere, particularly when that destination involved practice. No, it was very common to see her outside practicing each morning, but today she was more idle. She was waiting near the broad grassy field on the fringes of the Nara’s estate, but she wasn’t practicing. The long staff she’d brought with her was left on its side in the grass, while the girl herself sat beside it. With her back to a simple wooden post she was busying herself with a book.

The tome in her lap had consumed her attention for the last hour or so, aiding in passing the time while she waited for her clansman. Shikajin was one of those people’s she’d met, but only in that way that children meet adults. Names were exchanged, polite nods and hellos, but the same could be said for most of the people in her clan. She can’t recall ever really talking to the man. He was a shinobi, though, she certainly kept her interest.

Experience was all that mattered right now. She’d long battled imaginary foes, but only competition against more powerful shinobi was actually going to help her get gooder.

Iniko thumbs curiously through the book, dressed as she is each day. The morning sun came from her side, but the cream colored hood of her woolen cloak kept the glare from her eyes. Simple browns and greys colored the simple tunic she was wearing beneath it, and likewise the pants below that. On her feet she wore her a pair of functional boots. She’d never been one for flare, but the cloak still made her something of a standout.

The little field was odd. Lacking trees, it instead had a fair number of 8 foot tall wooden posts situated at seeming random intervals. There was some twenty of them scattered about, seeming to do little for the place. Each one, though cast their shadows in lengthy straight lines across the field, the lines growing, shrinking, and moving across the ground slowly as the sun makes its circuit overhead. The two were supposed to meet close to 10am, so the shadows would still be long and pointed towards the north west.

[Nara Shikajin]

the worst case scenario is you

A morning routine slightly shifted, but a routine none the less. Showering, breakfast, and getting things in order for the day ahead. Thankfully a shift at the hospital wasn't on the agenda for today and while that may have meant a calm, relaxing day, the buzzing of fluorescent lights would be replaced by the sounds of a training child. The chunin had been tapped to help with the progress of one of the younger Nara and, much as he would have liked to do something else with his day, had obliged for the betterment of his family. He had done similar with Shun not too long ago having shown her the ropes of their harvesting techniques as well as getting the girl more acquainted with the deer, so it was only fair to help another in need; Shikajin just hoped this wasn't going to create a pattern...

The meeting spot would be a small training area on the edge of the clan compound, useful for the type of training they were going to be getting into, and thankfully not much of a walk from his home. When he arrived, dark hues would lock in on the child who seemed worlds away in whatever book she was reading. Shikajin didn't know a bunch about Iniko but she was of the clan and that was about all that mattered at the moment. "I hope you weren't waiting too long." He'd speak trying to get her attention. His usual attire of darker clothing was the choice for today minus the flak jacket as he couldn't be burdened with putting the damn thing on for a simple training exercise.

The messy mop that he called hair would blow softly in the gentle breeze as the still rising sun would stretch shadows across the area. "So what is it you're looking to improve upon?" The chunin would ask. He knew Iniko was still in the academy so the possibilities were vast and he'd be willing to help as best he could in whatever area, though a part of him hoped that it didn't involve the staff laying next to her as weapons weren't really his style outside of the normal arsenal and the occasional scalpel.

nara iniko @two @three | ### | whoop whoop

KRATOS

[nara iniko]

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Iniko notes the approach of the other Nara, pointing her place with a finger before glancing up to see who was coming. She abandons the book without a look back, pushing herself up to her feet and closing the tome as Shikajin steps closer.

"No, not long.” She tucks the book away in her hip pouch, the cover seeming quite dull. Some manner of history book, maybe it was just homework. Did the academy give homework? She steps on her staff for a moment, then drags her foot across it, rolling it backwards. She catches it near the center with a toe and gives the thing a little kick up into her hand. It’s was quite long, some 7 feet towering over the girl once it’s brought up on end and set against the ground.

"Oh.. uhm. Improve upon?” She pauses a moment, eyes lifting somewhat skywards and head tipping to the side as she ponders that. Her left hand lifts, idly scratching at the side of her head. Improve on? Her answer is a mutter, but she looks back at Shikajin as she drones on. "everythingIguess… I’m pretty terrible at everything right now. I mean, more specifically like, I would like to get more experience with the Kage Mane technique. I don’t even know how to begin using it myself, but defending against things helps me understand them.”

"So I figure, you try to catch me, I try to get away from it? I am pretty sure you’ll catch me, so be nice and let me go when you do?”

She smiles a little brighter at that last part. It should go without saying, but nothing ever did.

[Nara Shikajin]

the worst case scenario is you

The chunin remained silent as the girl pondered his question. Unless there was some glaring issue that needed to be worked on it was better to let people work on what they wanted to at their own pace. Iniko was young and chances were anything Shikajin would have said himself could have been acceptable as a training topic, and as much as it may have looked like Shikajin and fun avoided each other even he knew that enjoying training was essential to getting through the often grueling process.

In time the girl would speak up prompting a brow to raise at her response. It wasn't surprising to hear that a young clan member wanted to learn more about the Nara's most famous technique but it was the way in which she wanted to learn about it: by trying to avoid it. That was certainly a way of going about things and everyone had their own ways of learning. "Very well, prepare yourself." Shikajin would reply as he began to make his way over to the peculiarly placed training posts. Their shadows were deep and would provide ample opportunity for the young Nara to test her abilities.

The chunin would take a knee as he performed a single seal, his very shadow beginning to ripple with existence. "Here we go." He'd say before sending it towards the girl from an arcing right angle. Using the Kage Mane had become second nature to him and being under the morning sun's gaze would effectively increase the range by a good deal but that would be something he let Iniko figure out on her own. She was a child, yes, but from the dexterity displayed moments previous with her large staff the young man had a feeling that she could move pretty well.

SPOILER: Click to show

NAME: Kagemane no Jutsu [Shadow Imitation Technique]
RANK: D
CHAKRA USAGE: Low
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu
ELEMENT: N/A
DESCRIPTION:
The basis of all the Nara Clan techniques. The use extends their shadow over any surface in an attempt to connect with an enemy's shadow. Once they touch, the shadow's merge, connecting the target with the user. The target is then forced to imitate the movements of the user. On its own, the range of this technique is approximately thirty yards. However, with each use the Kage Mane yields diminishing returns; this loss in length is approximately a yard per use.

nara iniko @two @three | ### | whoop whoop

KRATOS