Jutsu Training

Spoiler:

Izanami sat full lotus on one of the islands she had found, letting the ever falling ran soak her skin. The golden fire inside of her warded off the cold as she meditated. Toshu had asked her to meet him on the lake. She had arrived at the allotted time, but he was late. Hence the reason she was meditating. It had been over two hours now.

She opened up her mind trying to sense the giant. She could feel something, but the mist on the lake messed with her when she wasn't focusing hard. She sighed, it was a bit ways off, returning her mind to golden fire inside of her, it was warm.

Toshu usually prided himself on his punctuality, but today was an exception. Claire was away, and had left him as interim leader of the Shirotori. There was a lot of busywork involved in that. He was amazed that she managed, given her state of constant inebriation. She was truly a remarkable woman.

By the time he found some free time, it was nearly two hours past the time he had agreed to meet miss Kaguya. He made for the lake as fast as he could, but Toshu was not light on his feet. He was well past his time when he arrived at the island where he had arranged to meet her. He was surprised that she was still waiting, meditating in the rain. He was a bit concerned, he had heard she'd had some health problems in the past. Hopefully the weather wouldn't be a problem. He cleared his throat, standing a safe distance away. "Miss Kaguya? My apologies, I underestimated how much time my new responsibilities will take. I will plan better in the future."

Iza opened one eye hearing him clear is throat. She open both looking up at him and nodded understandingly when she head. "It is fine, it was a burden you were not expecting to carry." She gracefully unfolded her legs standing up. She was tall conisdering her gender, but compared to Toshu she was still short. "I trust there was a reason you called me out here." She shivered feeling the golden fire waning away and the rain slowly getting to her. Her cloths and hair clung to her making her seem meeker that she normally. She sighed stripping off the white jacket that was the uniform. The wet fabric landed with a splosh the symbol for the Priestess mocked her. She glared at hit a moment before turning her gaze to Toshu curious to what his plan was.

Word Count :254

"I appreciate your understanding." He bowed to the smaller woman. Considering the circumstances of their first meeting, it was surprising how civil she was being. He didn't know if it was genuine politeness or just playing nice, but he appreciated the gesture regardless.

"I've recently learned a jutsu that could be quite useful to you. Unlike most of my ninjutsu, it does not rely on any elements. Instead, it channels chakra through your body to alter it into a weapon. I couldn't help but think of you, considering your abilities." He formed the snake seal, channeling the chakra into his beard. The hair grew and strengthened into five long tendrils, each ending with a bestial mouth. The five moved around him, ready to defend or strike out as needed. "The Wild Lion's Mane Technique, passed down from the Time of Legends."

It was playing nice, the young priestess loathed it as part of the organization. She hated Toshu everyday for dragging her away from her sanctuary and home. Three of their members went against everything she stood for, and this one before she strait up hated more than anything. Still the white haired woman would swallow her pride and try to be civil.

She gaped a little when he said that it was a jutsu from the time of legends and watched him preform it. Well She certainly had the hair for it, and it would be useful to learn something aside from her clan skills. "Thank you Toshu-san, it is most kind. To learn of the jutsu from the Time of Legends would be an honor." She bowed grateful. "What is the first step." She looked up at him. Her face showing the first genuine smile she had had since she had joined the group.

Word Count: 409

He smiled. She seemed truly pleased with this jutsu. It was rare to see her this happy, he hoped it would continue. She was a formidable force, with the potential to become far stronger. It would be a shame if she left. Or worse yet, if she turned on the rest of them and had to be put down. Right now the power of the others was keeping her in check, but he had no way of telling how long that would last. If he was to earn her trust and loyalty before she got strong enough to rebel, steps like this had to be taken.

"First, focus your chakra through your scalp. Focus on the hair, you want to accelerate its growth, strengthen it, manipulate it. It should become a living entity, as strong as steel and growing or shrinking as you command it."

Iza nodded understandingly. It was similar to when she learned to control her bones. Same concept different material and different part of the body. She closed her eyes forming the snake seal channeling her chakra to the top of her head. It was strange; it was like learning water walking except backward.

Hair was surprising more difficult to manipulate than bone, though it may just because it was new and was just learning to do it. She channeled more chakra into the jutsu. She lost concentration suddenly, surprised when she left her hair move a little. She took up the seal again channeling chakra. Slowly she felt her locks grow and move again getting longer. Slowly it began to move. Iza focused, moving it around growing and shrinking it, trying to get a feel for it like she had for her bones.

She opened her eyes attacking but stopping the last second, staring him in the eye intently, "Why do you trust me so much? I could kill you right now and run." The last part was a lie and exaggeration. She knew what he could do. She had heard him with his wolf a few night back and the screams of the victims. He could kill her in a heart beat. "Why." She had to know, Iza couldn't understand any of it, why? She pulled back her hair. It was still slower than his, but it was faster than before. It was progress.

Word Count; 654

He chuckled at her comment, hair already in place to block her attack. "You are progressing quickly, miss Kaguya, but you are not there yet. But still, someday you will reach that point. It is my hope that you will choose to side with us when that day comes. You have the potential to bring about an amazing change in the world. While I have coerced you in the past, I have high hopes that you will help us willingly in the future. But for you to trust us, we must also make a show of trust."

Toshu retracted his hair and made his hands into a sign again. This time, he wasn't channeling any chakra. "This is mainly a crushing and constricting technique. See if you can make me need to use my stone skin. If you can, we will see if you can force me to rely on my iron." There was some risk letting her attack him like this, but the difference in power was enough that it was a negligible risk.

Iza nodded forming the hand sign again. Silently she promised to keep her eye on him, Toshu confused her greatly. Her hair grew lashing out, wrapping around his neck. She commanded the tengrals to squeeze. She couldn't understand why he had so much faith, at the moment all she was a weapon that was to be held in check then unleashed on foes; at least that what she felt like. With her temper flaring she added more pressure to her attack.

She looked at him, if there were ever a chance now would be it. Just reach out and force his rib though his heart. Iza put the thought aside. Why, why why, did this have to be so confusing. It wasn't fair, but then when was her life ever fair. She put more force into the attack, no long being powered by anger. She would learn all she could then leave, this was not her place. Anyone who had ever 'claimed' her was using her even her god, but she at least new that claim was true and was satisfied with that arrangement. This one she hated. After a lifetime of fighting she was tired of it and just wanted her peace.

Word Count: 857/800
Training complete

Toshu held on for quite a while. He was one of the most resilient of the Shirotori, as durable as one can be without actual immortality. Even without his armor, he was still the immovable object. But as Izanami's jutsu grew stronger and the pressure mounted, his strength was no longer enough. His hands were already clasped in a sign, and it was pleasantly surprising that miss Kaguya hadn't tried to pry them apart so she could throttle him unhindered. Maybe she was starting to come around?

He poured the earth chakra into his skin, turning it to stone. The pressure was relieved somewhat. The hair was strong, but it wasn't currently strong enough to require that he use his iron skin. He was quite comfortable as stone. "Excellent progress, miss Kaguya. Would you like to continue? This cannot crack stone, not yet at the least." He shifted his hands into another sign, ready to call up the Destroyer of Fists whenever it was needed.

Jutsu used:

She pulled back her hair, despite her appearances she was feeling the effects of her tainted blood. "I'm afraid that all for today. Thank you for the lesson." Her internal temperature had rose, and the moisture on her forehead had been replaced with sweat. "If you will excuse me," She would be fine, she just needed to rest strain made the leak worse. "I need to return and take my medicine. I think perhaps you made a poor choice in who you coerced into joining you." Iza started walking across the water toward her temporary home. Damn her diseased blood too.

Toshu bowed, releasing his jutsu. His skin faded from a dull gray to his usual complexion. "Again, you have my apologies. I should not have left you here so long." She was quite powerful, but her health was a consistent problem for her. He wished that miss Hyuuga was still with their group, her medical prowess might have been able to fully heal Izanami. Aside from Lord Zaku's death, Sakura's betrayal had been the hardest blow to the Shirotori.

"It was an honor training with you, miss Kaguya. Perhaps we should do so again sometime, schedules and weather permitting. I sense there is much we could learn from one another." The reminder about the coercion brought a frown to his face. He hoped that the training today would have made her feel more like a member of the group, but she was still as isolated as ever. He would have to work harder to bring her fully into the fold. "I do not think so, miss Kaguya. You have both the will and the power to do great things. With a little trust and guidance, you could put both of those to use." They parted ways, and he returned to his forge. He had other work to do.

[End of thread]

Izanami Kaguya wrote:

Name: Ranjishigami no Jutsu [Wild Lion's Mane Technique]
Canon/Custom: Canon
Element: N/A
Type: Ninjutsu
Rank: B
Jutsu Prerequisites: Snake hand seal
Description: The user channels chakra into their hair to rapidly grow and strengthen it. The hair becomes as strong as steel cable, and can be bundled to increase its strength. The hair can then be manipulated, striking like a Hydra's heads. Once the jutsu ends, the hair will return to its normal length. This can also be done with facial hair if the user has enough.

Approved

Training voided at Iza's request.