[Hijikata Saga]

"empty your mind". "How can you move forward if you keep on regretting the past?" THE WORDS YOU SAID, SORT OF Meditating was far more challenging than it seemed at first look. He remembered well how Kaida introduced him to the practice, thus allowing him to sense some of the natural energy around him, and how Taki had been helping him hone that skill. Whenever he closed his eyes, he could still remember the Gorilla Sage's words: "Emptying your mind is the key to successful meditation." Taki would say in his mind. "You need to let go of all thoughts and distractions, and focus only on your breath and the natural energy around you." the blonde would add in his memories, even though... Well... Taki didn't sound exactly like that, but Saga didn't have it in him the ability to replicate her exotic accent and speech pattern, so his brain just filtered it to something more familiar. It helped him remember in a way. Taki had taught Saga some tips and techniques to help him achieve a deep state of meditation. The blonde showed him how to regulate his breathing, taking slow, deep breaths to calm his mind and body. She also taught him how to visualize himself as a vessel, allowing the natural energy of the world to flow into him and fill him with strength and power, even if a lot of the lessons were not necessarily direct. It was a process, he knew it, one he would have to insist on and be patient in order to eventually master it. "There is no such a thing as a painless lesson, they just don't exist. Sacrifices are necessary; you can't gain something without losing something..." Sage Training Meditation [N/A] [233 words]

[Hijikata Saga]

"empty your mind". "How can you move forward if you keep on regretting the past?" INTERNALIZING LESSONS Saga listened intently to Taki's advice and practiced his meditation diligently, even though time was not something he had to spare during the following days to his lesson; with the Chuunin Exams under way, he was soon dragged to the second round, which lasted a significant amount of time, including the preliminary match against Uta. He was only truly able to return to his training during the break they had between rounds 2 and 3. But despite his best efforts, he still struggled to achieve a deep state of meditation on his own. He found himself becoming easily distracted by the sounds and smells of the world around him, and he often became frustrated when he couldn't seem to empty his mind completely. It was also quite challenging to just think about nothing, and he would eventually grow restless and agitated; he was not really a natural at meditation, and that went without saying. But Saga was stubborn, and he was determined to master the art of meditation, and he knew that he needed to practice more if he wanted to achieve his goal. He had something to prove, after all, not only to himself but to his estranged master, the Lord of the Waterfall Village, Ryu, who hadn't even bothered overseeing his training yet. He hoped that after he returned to his village, the man would notice him more, and finally see him as something more than a bother. "There is no such a thing as a painless lesson, they just don't exist. Sacrifices are necessary; you can't gain something without losing something..." Sage Training Meditation [N/A] [227 words]

[Hijikata Saga]

"empty your mind". "How can you move forward if you keep on regretting the past?" MY FRIEND, KOZA And as the days passed, he continued to meditate on a daily basis, but just as Taki had warned him in their last training together, he wasn't doing it alone. No, he didn't want to risk suffering some petrification, and become just a dead statue of a lizard or something like that. Thanks to the blonde, he learned to rely on the aid of one of the lizards from his summoning contract: Koza, the only one he truly had developed a bond with. And with Koza by his side to keep watch over him and prevent him from suffering petrification, he felt more comfortable and relaxed to focus on his meditation. Koza was not only a summoning lizard, but something precious to Saga; it had become a close friend and ally to the Sage Apprentice ever since he had signed the contract, and that bond developed over the course of his training. It knew how important achieving Sage Mode was to Saga, and it was determined to help him in any way it could, even if it could really speak to the boy. As Saga meditated, Koza would keep its eyes on him, watching for any signs of danger or distraction. And if Saga ever lost focus or began to falter, Koza would nibble him gently with its mouth at first, bringing him back to the present moment and helping him to regain his focus, and if that didn't work, he would go for a more intense bite. And as annoying as that feeling was, Saga didn't hold it against the lizard. He knew that was necessary. "There is no such a thing as a painless lesson, they just don't exist. Sacrifices are necessary; you can't gain something without losing something..." Sage Training Meditating [N/A] [253 words]

[Hijikata Saga]

"empty your mind". "How can you move forward if you keep on regretting the past?" THE PASSAGE OF TIME Seconds turned into minutes, minutes turned into hours, and the hours saw the sunrise and the sunset, the rise of light, and darkness, and yet, Saga continued to train tirelessly, focusing on his meditation techniques and practicing his inner focus with Koza by his side, not only as a companion, but as a tireless watcher, ensuring no harm would come to his blue-haired friend. And although at times it felt like he wasn't really going anywhere, it was due to the slow pace of such training rather than a real lack of progress, for the young sage apprentice was slowly but surely making some progress in his training. Still, he couldn't neglect his need for rest. As focused as he was with his training, he still needed to concentrate on the reason he was in Kuwana for: the Chuunin Exams. Rest was also very important, and after hours of meditation, he knew the importance of calling it a day. But on the next day, a couple hours before sunrise, he was once again at the training grounds, ready to start his meditation. On that second day, as Saga was meditating alone with Koza, he felt a sudden surge of energy coursing through his body. He felt as though he was connected to the natural energy of the world in a way that he had never experienced before. Saga opened his emerald eyes, and he saw that Koza was looking at him intently. It was as if the summoned lizard knew that something important had happened. "There is no such a thing as a painless lesson, they just don't exist. Sacrifices are necessary; you can't gain something without losing something..." Sage Training Meditating [N/A] [244 words]

[Hijikata Saga]

"empty your mind". "How can you move forward if you keep on regretting the past?" A TASTE OF PROGRESS Suddenly, the boy's smile would open from ear to ear. "I did it, Koza! I felt the energy flow through me!" Saga exclaimed, chuckling softly as he enjoyed the triumphant feeling that warmed up his chest. "I really think I have achieved a deep state of meditation! Just like coach aunty told me to!" he added with a rather excited tone, remembering all of Taki's instructions. In response to his excited celebration, Koza let out a happy chirp, and Saga knew that his summoning lizard was proud of him. He had made progress in his training, but he still had a long way to go before he could master the art of meditation, for this was one of the many steps he would have to take on the steep ladder of what a true Sage's meditation was like. But with renewed motivation, Saga continued to train diligently, using the techniques that Taki had taught him to achieve a deep state of meditation more easily, and also return to such an state more swiftly, even after getting distracted, or bit by Koza, when any sign of petrification was noticed by the small, yet dutiful lizard. Maybe the excitement got a bit in the way of his training, but that was only for a moment, and then, the sense of pride and renewed drive would guide him to better results. "There is no such a thing as a painless lesson, they just don't exist. Sacrifices are necessary; you can't gain something without losing something..." Sage Training Meditating [N/A] [217 words]

[Hijikata Saga]

"empty your mind". "How can you move forward if you keep on regretting the past?" A NEW FEELING The clock never stops ticking, and as the hours passed, Saga began to find it easier to focus his mind and empty his thoughts. Starting to meditate had - thus far - proven to be the most challenging aspect of his training, but he was now able to overcome that initial hiccup with much more ease. Focusing was becoming more natural to the young sage apprentice, and Koza was having to interfere less often, meaning he was being able to also stop his body from some involuntary movements that got in the way of his training. He was being able to remain still enough so that the feeling of natural energy was more present, and with an intensity he had never felt before. And as he progressed in his training, Saga began to notice changes in his body. Not physical changes like Kaida had suffered, or the petrification that he had been struggling with. No, this time, the feeling was different. It felt good, and more than anything, it felt right. He felt stronger, more agile, and more in tune with the natural world around him. And he knew that he was getting closer to achieving the surface of Sage Mode, the ultimate goal of his training at this moment in time. But even as he made progress, Saga remained humble and focused. He knew that there was still much to learn, and that the path to mastery would be long and difficult. "There is no such a thing as a painless lesson, they just don't exist. Sacrifices are necessary; you can't gain something without losing something..." Sage Training Meditating [N/A] [229 words]

[Hijikata Saga]

"empty your mind". "How can you move forward if you keep on regretting the past?" TO PERSIST Even though rain began to fall, and it did distract Saga, making his concentration a little harder now that his body had to deal with the constant stimulation of the rain drops falling over it, he persisted, determined to not let the elements get in his way. If he truly wanted to master the meditative state, he would need to be able to do so without being so easily disrupted. In the real world, he couldn't choose ideal settings for battles. No, things happen at inconvenient times more often than not, he knew that all too well due to living in an improvised hut in the outskirts of the village. Just like the water that was following on top of his head, he needed to be able to adapt to the situation. That focus allowed him to overcome the distraction, and continue to meditate to the level he was capable of before it started to rain. It may sound like a small step, but to the boy, who had very little people in his life to guide him through his training, that was a great victory. Koza seemed to be proud of his will power. Having sit for the last two days, focusing entirely on improving on something that was already hard for someone of his personality. He could see that Saga had the true heart of a shinobi, despite his youth and lack of better education. Koza did want to watch him succeed. "There is no such a thing as a painless lesson, they just don't exist. Sacrifices are necessary; you can't gain something without losing something..." Sage Training Meditating [N/A] [231 words]

[Hijikata Saga]

"empty your mind". "How can you move forward if you keep on regretting the past?" ONE MORE DAY After finishing for the day, Saga came back to the same training ground for a third day, repeating all the process he had done before: doing some small exercises to get his blood flowing, summoning Koza to assist him with the gathering of natural energy and snapping him out of meditation if petrification started, and focusing on emptying his mind and connecting to the energies of the world around him. It had become significantly easier to get into a deeper meditative state, and he was suffering petrification far less often now, although he still needed Koza to bite him every fifteen minutes or so. But hey, every step forward, as tiny as it is, is still real progress. Having learned to ignore the foreign elements the day before, meditating under better weather felt like it was much easier than it had been when he started it. Still, there was only so much he could really accomplish on his own. At the end of this practice, he managed to get a better feeling at the energy of nature, and perceive it better. He could also feel how it seemed to empower his core, but any more of it, and petrification would start. He knew he needed to get past that, make his body even more still, and his mind even more clear before he could undergo the Sage transformation, but he now felt closer to it than ever before. Satisfied, he would return to his room and get some sleep. He didn't know that yet, but tomorrow, he would get some decent instruction from Taki, as well as meet some other interesting people. "There is no such a thing as a painless lesson, they just don't exist. Sacrifices are necessary; you can't gain something without losing something..." Sage Training End [N/A] [260 words]