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Kuma thought about it a tiny bit and declined as he thanked the man for his training and left for Hidden Leaf.

Tamao

Tamao continued walking through the village, enjoying the sights and sounds that she grew up on. It was strangely calming, returning to the place where she had lived out her formative years. The feeling was marred a little when she realized again how she'd be leaving very shortly. But she didn't let that get her down, she'd enjoy herself as much as she could until she had to leave. As long as she kept in mind she had to train a lot, the exams were going to be very tough.
(1 of 10)

She tried to guess what the exams might be, but there were so many choices. Could it be like the exam to graduate the academy, just an odd test and a gauntlet of physical activities? Could it be a simple tournament? Or could it be somethign else entirely, something she couldn't even think of? That seemed the most likely. She probably shouldn't even be thinking about it, that just might make her hesitate and lose her nerve. And after what she'd come through so far, that was unacceptable.
(2 of 10)

Looking up, she realized she'd nearly reached her home. She could see it in the distance, it was still a very big house. Even so, it looked a little smaller than she remembered it. That was odd, had it been rebuilt? No, everything looked the same. It just seemed smaller. How odd. She stepped onto the grounds, and made her way to the front door. She hoped her parents were able to see her right away, instead of being busy with work. They'd always been busy, that was probably how they'd managed to become so well-to-do.
(3 of 10)

She wasn't sure how she felt about that, they had never really had time to spend time with her when she was younger. Of course, they had hired help, and she had spent time with them for a good deal of her life, but it wasn't the same. She knew her parents loved her, but they never really showed it, and she kind of regretted that. But that was how they were, and she tried to accept it. They'd likely be just as busy now as they were before, and that might be for the best. It'd be easier to leave if they were the same as they had been when she left.
(4 of 10)

She had reached the door, and opened it slowly, looking around. Everything was just as clean and immaculate as it had always been, there was still the faint scent of wildflowers in the air. She walked through the house, looking to see if anyone was home. There should be at least somebody, but so far she wasn't seeing anyone. Then she reached the study, where her parents spent most of their time at work, and found the her parents. They were hard at work, and she hesitated to interrupt them to make her arrival known.
(5 of 10)

So instead, though it felt kind of rude, she just wrote them a note and tossed it into their in pile, they'd find out when they got to it. She went through the rest of the house and found the butler and the maid chatting casually in the kitchen. She greeted them, and they responded warmly. they'd been the closest thing she had had to friends for many years, and she always looked on them fondly. They chatted for a good hour, until it was time to prepare the evening meal. The chef had gone on vacation, so the butler and maid were taking over his duties until he returned.
(6 of 10)

Tamao helped a little, just like she had when she was a little girl. She still wasn't too good, her skills had lost some of their edge while she was being a ninja, but she still tried. She apologized again to the butler, who had been punished rather severely when he failed to bring her back. He said not to worry about it, it wasn't that bad. The atmosphere in the kitchen cheered up, and soon the meal was ready. As the places were set, Tamao decided to partake, maybe her parents would come to dinner and they could have a real reunion, not a paper one.
(7 of 10)

But they didn't, apparantly they were still very busy with work. She sighed, she'd kind of been hoping it might have been different. But there was no use getting depressed, so she enjoyed the meal, and caught up with the maid and butler about what happened while she was gone. They talked until it went dark out, then she decided to turn in for the night, spend the night in her room before setting out for more training in the morning. They were rather disappointed to hear she'd be leaving so soon, but they let her go.
(8 of 10)

Morning rolled around, and Tamao couldn't resist spending a leisurely couple of hours waking up and washing up, then she was ready to go. She had a quick breakfast and gave the maid and butler a hug and kiss goodbye, then she set out. She'd find a trainer today, she had to! Going up and down the roads of the town, she finally found someone. She couldn't precisely remember his name, but she remembered he was famous for inventing a very unique technique. He seemed to be relaxing at the moment, so she asked if he wouldn't mind training her for a while.
(9 of 10)

He had nothing better to do, so he agreed. Her training began immediately, it was quite difficult. She had to understand a whole new method of using chakra, that of mingling it with the elements. She had read a little abou that, but had never had a chance to try it, so it was slow going. But she kept at it, and several hours later, she was finally able to perform the technique. When her teacher was able to move again, he handed her a pair of small glass bottles. they were an important part of the technique, and easier to rely on then the naturally occurring stuff. She accepted the flasks and thanked him profusely.
(10 of 10, Denji Genmu)

Tamao

Tamao had practiced the technique a little, and then felt it was time to move on. As she was walking through the village, she saw another distinguished ninja of the village. Range, she believed that was their name. They knew a technique called Impossible Leap, which created a small pane of ice in the air to let the user change the angle of their jump in mid-air. Considering how hard it was to move during a fall or jump, it took care of quite a big problem, that of beign a sitting target during a jump.
(1 of 7)

She went up to Range and asked if he wouldn't midn teaching her the technique. He agreed, and they began trainign after just a moment. The technique required a good degree of control over chakra, as well as a mind for thinking in three dimensions. It wasn't just what was in front or behind her, it was how high above or below her that mattered. If she could keep that in mind while moving, it'd be harder for others to trap her. It was normal human nature to not think of checking above them, and that was a dangerous liability.
(2 of 7)

But when one was able to think in three dimensions, they could anticipate attacks and traps better than they otherwise might have been able to, a very useful ability. And this technique was a step on the path to becoming aware of oneself in three dimensions. By learning how to change a jump from one direction to another, the user was thinking in three dimensions, at least for a moment. This was the true essence of the technique Impossible Leap. Hard to master, but very good to know about.
(3 of 7)

But before they got that far, Tamao had to learnt he first step. That was the creation of the sheet of ice. It had to be fast, as fast as she could possibly make it, but strong enough to allow her to shift her weight against it and change her path. The basic creation of a panel of ice wasn't terribly troublesome, as long as the creator focused enough. This would be Tamao's first test for using the technique. Range told her how to use her chakra to create the ice, how to move and how to visualize the ice to create the proper form.
(4 of 7)

After he'd told her how to try it, she did. It was hard going, but she did her best and managed to make somethign close to what was desired. She saw it, and redoubled her efforts for the next try. Even so, it was proving difficult. But she kept at it, and after a few more tries, she was able to make a small sheet of ice that was big and thick enough to suit their purposes. The next step would be even harder, learning to make it appear at her feet. Hard to change a jump without using feet, after all.
(5 of 7)

This proved more difficult, she even had to sit down and stretch her legs out so the panels of ice wouldn't be pressed against the ground and crack right away. But she was getting the hang of it quickly, and after a few dozen tries, she was able to do it almost perfectly. The next and final step was creating the ice, and actually using it. This would require her to actually jump, and perform the technique while in the air, so she could take advantage of it. And again, this step was harder than the last.
(6 of 7)

Tamao leapt into the air, and tried to perform the technique, but hit the ground before it took effect. She was too slow! She kept at it, jumping higher, trying to do the signs faster, everything to shorten the time needed for it to take effect. Slowly but surely, it was beginning to work. The ice sheet was still showing up a little too slow, but she was showing very good progress. With a little more work, she'd probably have it. Range told her to keep at it, and left her to her own devices.
(7 of 7, Impossible Leap)

Tamao

The day was passing by quickly, and Tamao felt like she hadn't quite done enough yet. But she couldn;t think of any other techniques in the village she really wanted to learnr ight now, maybe it was time to move on? It was stille arly enough she could catch a boat to another village. But what village? There were so many, each with their own clans, techniques and styles. No matter which one she chose, she'd probably find a technique she'd like.
(1 of 6)

But she couldn't approach learning techniques without any sort of a plan, she wanted to find the right techniques to learn to maximize her strengths and minimize her weaknesses. But what techniques would those be? For that matter, what were her strengths and weaknesses? She didn't know that either, it hadn't come up during her stay at the academy. Kind of late in the game to figure that out now, but she'd have to do the best she could, and hope for the best.
(2 of 6)

She doublechecked her belongings, she'd swapped out her luggage from the academy for a much more travel-worthy set, she hadn't brought nearly as much stuff with her this time around. Really just the bare necessities, enough to let her take care of herself and not much else. She had to learn to fend for herself, out in the world without the academy, or her parents to take care of her. That was part of what it meant to be a ninja, self-reliance. She'd do her best, and become stronger under her own power.
(3 of 6)

Everything seemed in order, so she was ready to go. She'd already said goodbye to the butler and maid, and asked them to give her parents her regards, so all that was left was to actually leave. She took her time doing so, walking slowly through the village to see it one last time before she left again. She'd be back sooner or later, but that didn't change the fact that she'd miss it. So she took as much time as she dared on the way to the docks, eager to make some last-minute memories with her home.
(4 of 6)

She spent some time chatting with some of the people she knew, the shopkeepers and tradesmen, the villagers and ninja, saying hi to each of them and asking how they'd been. But even so, she got closer and closer to the docks, and soon she was there. Looking at the array of boats, she realized she still hadn't decided where she wanted to go. Maybe be spontaneous and hop on the closest boat, see where it took her? No guarantee she'd go somewhere she'd like, but then again maybe she'd be pelasantly surprised.
(5 of 6)

That sounded interesting, so she made her decision. Walking with energetic purpose, she amde her way to the closest boat and arranged passage, but made sure not to ask where she was going. If she was going to be surprised, she wanted to go for broke, not find out until she got there. Otherwise it'd be too easy to think about it on the way there and ruin the whole plan. As the boat pulled away, she looked at the water, watching the ripples swirl and combine into a chaotic mass that trailed behind the boat like a comet's tail.
(6 of 6, Hana Shuriken)

Hedoro

Finally, Ruiga stopped talking about water, and the real lessons could begin. He took it slow, covering every aspect of the lesson, even the stuff that the greenest academy student should know. It was a little frustrating, but she'd been prepared for it during his last little speech, so she managed to keep a handle on herself. She distracted herself by seeing how fast she could duplicate the technique on her own, rather than actually learning it from him.
(1 of 7)

Of course, there were certain difficulties in doing that. One, she'd never actually seen the technique before, so she couldn't be sure she'd be doing it right. Two, it was manipulating regular water, not her own substance, and that proved a tiny bit more difficult. And three, if he caught her it'd make things awkward. So she had to take it slow, play it close to the chest so she wouldn't attract his attention.
(2 of 7)

And at the same time, she still had to listen to him. Every so often through the lesson, he'd ask her if she had questions, or ask her one of his own, or even ask her to practice one of the lesson's steps a few times. So she had to divide her attention between two different activties, while not getting them mived up. This wasn't too hard, it was kind of like when she split into Hedoro and Koutai.
(3 of 7)

Finally, the lesson reached it's final stage, the actual demonstration before she would have to perform the technique herself. She'd very nearly done it on her own, so she wasn't too worried about being able to. She still watched Ruiga carefully as he showed her how it was done, seeing spots where she hadn't gotten it quite right, where parts of her own performance could be improved.
(4 of 7)

He had finished showing her the technique, now it was Hedoro's turn to try it for herself. She stood up and concentrated, recalling each part of the technique before trying it in her head. Then she was ready. Performing the handseals, she attempted the technique. It wasn't perfect, but it worked. She had the basics of water manipulation down pat, but the nuances were giving her a little trouble this time around.
(5 of 7)

Or they would be, if she hadn't intentionally done poorly. She didn't want to risk making a scene by mastering the skill instantly, so she had purposely done less than her best. She'd still done the technique, but probably not good enough to get a passing grade. That was fine, Ruiga had seemed to expect as much and had no problems teaching her more about the technique.
(6 of 7)

He started from the beginning, running through an abridged version of the same speech he'd made before. Thankfully, it went much faster than the first time through, and then it was time for Hedoro to try the technique again. This time she felt it would be alright to actually perform the technique as well as she could, so she did so. Predictably, she got the technique right this time.
(7 of 7, Suiton Seibun Houfutsu (Water Cannon Replica))

Ruiga congratulated her, and asked if she was ready to continue their training. He had a few more techniques he thought she could learn, if she was up to it. She nodded, eager to acquire more skills and strength. They stayed where they were, and got right back to work. Ruiga had already gone through the big speech about water twice, so he didn't think she'd need to hear it again.
(1 of 8 )

And that was good, because she definitely didn't need to. She knew water very well, quite possibly at the same level as Ruiga, or even higher. That's what came from a lifetime of constant exposure, after all. So they went straight into the explanation of the second technique he'd be teaching her. It was pretty similar to the first one, but where the first one affected the user, the second affected their opponent. Other than that, it was really almost the same technique.
(2 of 8 )

As such, that meant it should be very easy for her to learn, since she'd just performed the first version successfully. She certainly thought so, it seemed easy enough. But overcofnidence led to foolish mistakes, so she went ahead and payed attention to the lesson as closely as she had the first time. She didn't learn too much she hadn't already known, but it was good to make sure, at least.
(3 of 8 )

Then came the time to watch as Ruiga performed the technique himself. He performed it without trouble, which was only to be expected, as it was his technique, after all. Hedoro watched carefully, and after he'd finished, it was her turn. She thought it'd be okay to get it right the first time around this time, so she did. He congratulated her, and she asked if they could press on, learn another technique or two before she called it a day.
(4 of 8 )

Ruiga seemed a bit impressed with her determination, but then again he knew just how driven lots of younger ninjas were. They thought they had to prove themselves as fast as they could. That wasn't the case, of course, but most younger ninja didn't learn that until some time into their lives as ninja. He could try telling them as many times as he wanted, but it never changed anything. So he agreed, and they moved on to the next technique.
(5 of 8 )

The next technique was an evolution of the last one she'd learned, it drew upon the basics she'd just mastered. So once again, she settled in to hear the full explanation of it. Considering half of the speech was things they'd just reviewed a few minutes ago, it didn't take very long at all before she was feeling kind of bored. But she couldn't let it show, so she tried focusing on what Ruiga was saying.
(6 of 8 )

That seemed to help, it made the time pass quicker, and before she knew it, it was her turn to try the technique. She hadn't payed too much attention to Ruiga's demonstration, but she still managed to perform the technique fairly well. He seemed impressed when she mastered it after her first try. Even before she had a chance to ask, he assumed she wanted to learn one more technique, so he went right into the lesson.
(7 of 8 )

Again, this technique was the next step in Ruiga's technique's progressions. This meant she already knew a good deal about it's basics, so the lesson was very quick. Really, he just said the few alterations she'd have to make to the last technique, and then he demonstrated it. It seemed easy enough, so Hedoro immediately tried it herself as well. And she got it right, too. Ruiga congratulated her, and said that was all he had to teach her for the moment.
(8 of 8, Stalking Wave)

She thanked Ruiga for all he'd taught her, and continued on her journey. She had recalled another technique that was available here in Hidden Nano. Since she was already here, there was no reason not to learn it. So she set out, looking for the next person she needed to find to continue her training. She wasn't sure precisely who it was, but she'd found out if she looked long enough.
(1 of 10)

As she searched, she ended up admitting it would be much too hard to just find the unknown person without some sort of clue. She had no choice, she'd have to ask a local for help in the matter. It took a few tries, the first couple people she asked didn't seem to know who she was talking about. But finally, she found someone who knew who she was talking about. They told her where they'd seen him last, and she thanked them and went on her way.
(2 of 10)

She followed the directions she'd been given, and soon found the person she'd been looking for. At least she assumed it was them, she had to ask to make sure. When she did, they took a moment before answering her, then nodded. So they were her next instructor, hopefully. She asked, and they agreed to teach her a technique. But only one, they didn't want to spend all day teaching some kid.
(3 of 10)

Hedoro withheld her irritation at being called a kid, and asked Jiga which technique she'd be taught. She already had one in mind, and was surprised when Jiga suggested the very same one. It seemed a lot of ninja wished to learn this technique, he assumed she was just one more in the line. He was right, of course, not that Hedoro liked that. She didn't want to be just like everyone else.
(4 of 10)

No, she just wanted to be strong, and free. If it meant having to learn a lot of techniques similar to other ninjas' repertoires, then she could handle it. It didn't make her happy, but then again nothing really made her happy. That was important to her, it kept her calm and collected. Happiness would only make her weak, something she wouldn't tolerate. Better to be unemotional, and strong, then happy and weak.
(5 of 10)

Without further ado, the lesson for the technique began. Jiga explained the basics of the technique, and Hedoro listened closely. This one wasn't water-based, it would prove more difficult to master. Especially for her. So she payed as much attention as she could, watching as Jiga showed the requirements to use the technique. It wasn't terribly complicated, but it was different enough that she had to pay a lot of attention.
(6 of 10)

Then it was time to watch as he demonstrated the technique. She watched closely, recording every detail to her memory as best she could. She was pretty sure she had it down, but listened as Jiga explained the technique once more. He pointed out that this technique needed raw metarials, which weren't always available. Which was why he gave her a trio of vials filled with grey dust. If there were no raw materials on hand, she could use these.
(7 of 10)

She accepted the vials, thanking Jiga. Then it was time for her to try the technique herself. She did so, and it seemed to work as well as she could expect. Unlike water-based techniques, in this field she actually was a total beginner. Her technique barely counted as a pass, she'd have to work on it a bit to get the hang of it. Even so, she'd still done it, enough for Jiga to say so, anyways.
(8 of 10)

She thanked him for teaching her, and said farewell. That was the last technique she wanted to learn from Hidden Nano at the moment, so now she could leave, and head to the next village. She wasn't sure which one she'd go to yet, there were a few that possessed techniques that she wanted to acquire. She'd decided at the docks, and get on the first boat that met her requirements.
(9 of 10)

Reaching the docks, she checked the departure times for all the different boats, paying extra attention to the ones that were going to any of the villages she wanted to go to. According to what she read, there was one leaving in about five minutes, that was going to one of her destinations. That made the choice much easier, she purchased a ticket and boarded the boat. As it pulled away from Hidden Nano, she prepared herself to learn more techniques once she arrived at her next stop.
(10 of 10, Denji Genmu)

suddenly, a fine film of water sformed around her and mitsuko noticed that it was closing into a sphere. mitsuko lashed out with the samehada, but the sides were strengthened with chakra to have almost unlimited elasticity. mitsuko sighed and knew that she had fallen into something akin to aquatic defense, but one that is used to trap enemies.

a skinny man with blue hair and a painted face walked out:"well, well, if it isn't the mizukage..." Mitsuko didn't respond, but used wind chakra to fill the entire bubble and gave it a drastic change in volume. the thing burst and she stepped out to confront the guy.

2/6