Eyes of One!;

[Chae]

Finally, after a long and tedious month -at least for Chae- the day had arrived as night took its natural course. The sun had arisen, enveloping everything within its scope with its infinite rays of energy, providing all with the strength to go about their day. Dressed in his iconic red robe and dark blue shinobi pants, the one armed sage of lightning calmly and patiently remained sitting between both statues, yet, also out further in the middle of the circular lake that rested at the base of said statues. The entirety of his lower body had been fueled with an elementary degree of chakra which allowed him to peacefully sit upon the lakes surface as though it'd been concrete for the duration of his wait. With his legs and bare feet crossed inwardly to their opposite sides, his only hand kept an umbrella hoisted within his lap, one that shielded him from the sun's near blinding light.

Nevertheless, he knew that the sun's arrival heralded the arrival of Celes Uchiha, a young girl who -at the time- had finally cross the threshold into the shinobi world by graduating from her village's academy. But the day he met her, he saw something, something that Chae acknowledged within himself even during his own years at the academy beneath Akira's shadow - a latent but seemingly powerful desire to become strong, mentally and physically. It'd been because of that desire that he decided to provide her with the gift of sight, a level of clarity that would've changed her life in more ways than one if she accepted such an offer.

"I hope she makes it. The kid has had plenty of time to mull it over."

(OOC: Sorry for the short post. Original was longer but scumbag v5 lost it @_@)

[Celes]

The days had ticked right-on-by, and, Celes marked them on a calender which hung in its proper place just above her bed. Two dates upon it were circled in red, writing strewn about in opposing blue ink; scrawled in fine writ and etched from right to left in their script. Ink of red clearly older, more dry, bled through the opposite side, as markers tend to do, conversely, the blues and greens were fresh,indicating the events themselves had not been written until a much later date on the page. One date – now crossed with an X – read Exam Day; Graduation Day, while, the other read only two words: Valley Meeting. In the top left corner the current day had been underline three times in green. That number hung just above the second circle.

In turn, the youth made her way to the Valley of End, which held in balance the borders of one land, and, another over yonder. The Land of Rice was beyond. Eclipsed by two massive statues and a waterfall trickling, roaring down into the center of a lake, it was easily one of the most defining locales within Hi no Kuni. That is without considering its extensive history. That said, she had been once before as an Academy student, so, she knew the general way. The paths that wove themselves around hillsides, through thickets, trees, streams and rivers, led unto this place, which opened out into first a field, and, thereafter the scape inclines of piercing mountainsides, and the solemn faces of two men once locked in a conflict, so great, that it formed a scar into the crust of the world itself – a valley.

Coming here again, felt right in a way; a way that she could not entirely grasp. There was a certain symmetry at work, which, made her see this almost as a right-of-passage itself. Graduation, and the exam were but stepping stones, while, arriving at the very edge of which she considered home as a fully fledged Genin, symbolized a new beginning, or, a start to all the troubles and hurdles of life. Hi no Kuni, a home she wanted to protect, protect from what lay thereafter in the lands beyond. In a month, the month Chae told her to wait, much had occurred. She took her exam, passed, became a Genin and turned thirteen, all, in the span of but thirty days. Yet, despite that – the changes thrust upon her – she was relatively the same.

A girl approached the man hovering and sitting above the water. Standing upright, at no more the five feet two inches, she stared at him from a perch of the rock formation. Her footfalls that touched on stone, grass, dirt and brush, now silent; and, the sandals she wore at her feet, strained and riddled with the landscapes that she had left behind her to arrive here, became steady again, firm in place meters off from the water, and meters farther away from Chae himself. Chakra swirled briefly forming there, flowing and flickering like fire as it dispersed across the soles about her feet. She inhaled, breathing in as energy drained, burning away, then, stepped towards the water.

With each motion, her long-hair swayed in its fiery locks, trailing slightly, but, parting where a forehead protector now gleamed in the streaming light from the sun. Bearing the ever falling leaf within the shadow of fire itself, the pattern etched represented a rite of passage that all students must either pass, or, be doomed to repeat again, some, never walking the path of a Shinobi. Water urged and pressed up, but, was responsively repelled by the consistent flow of chakra that she emitted. The meters that separated them began to decline, and, soon she was only standing upon water just a couple away from him.

Donned in a short skirt, matched shorts which rested beneath, and, a sweater that had a jacket tucked around it, it would seem her attire did not consist of much variety, for, she had wore something quite similar on the first day they had met. Notably so now however, at her side was a brown pouch, and, a small scroll sleeve tucked neatly around her hips. Additionally, unseen (since she was not facing him), a Bokuto was strapped to her back, with a knife just beneath it kept firmly sheathed in its place. As she stood there, she gave him a familiar sight (to him at least): a soft smile.

“You wished of me to come, right? She tilted her head slightly, more playfully than anything else, but, the look in her eyes suggested an intent that hid something far more serious. On that account Chae was right: she had had plenty of time to mull things over, and, what she decided was that she wanted to see him again, but, more so that he held secrets that she needed to know – needed to have revealed, because, she was not content with fading into the obscurities of her family; because she wanted no harm to come to those she cared about, but, mostly because she did not want to be weak. What could she defend in weakness? The answer was simple enough: nothing.

[Chae]

Once her voice snapped through the openness of air and reached Chae's ears, he smiled, realizing that his hunch turned out to be correct. With impeccable timing, Celes showed up not long after Chae himself had arrived, meaning even he had still been fresh and filled to the brim with energy at that time. Unfolding his feet beneath him, Chae pushed off against the surface of the water where its ripples retreated from his fundamental output of chakra. Facing Celes, he nodded as his smile faded into obscurity and soon swapped presence with that of a teacher, yet, a teach whose goal had been to give the gift of sight and power, not 'just enough' experience and skills to barely make it in a ruthless world that heralded seemingly only death and loss.

"This first step is all about trust. I need you to trust me if we're going to make a habit of this so, the way I'm going to earn this trust is leaving myself open to you. Ask, ask me anything you deem a necessity to know and I shall answer as best as I can whether it is about me or the world that lies beyond the borders of this country."

His words at that moment cut deeper than any man made sword could, stinging with the desire to encourage to young shinobi to want to know more, to want to achieve that absolute power, all without feeling guilty. There'd been nothing wrong with wanting all of it for yourself; truth be told, what shinobi would turn down an opportunity to reach for and take hold of the power they coveted so contentedly. With that, Chae's hand flung outwardly in a lateral fashion, launching the umbrella from his hand that landed only a handful of meters off to his side. Although his method seemed simple enough thus far, it'd have undoubtedly become more complex and intricate the further and further Celes traveled through the rabbit hole.

[Celes]

Liquid rippled beneath sandals, spurning up, thereafter, settling as Celes looked on, observing while Chae turned towards her general direction. He soon spoke. Words floating atop and carried along the streaming water beyond, crashing down into dullard trickles that ran into the lake. A thin haze gathered – of blanketing moisture – in turn dampening hair, gleaming dots unto protective and etched steel, and, wetting layers of clothes in their stillness. At her feet chakra consistently gathered, then, expelled, repelling water as it tried to engulf and collapse around the pressure applied. She breathed steadily, but, most importantly she listened to what parted from his lips. A smile which had lingered in soft expression, now, took a more serious, and, stern demeanor.

They were brief; his words, yet, potent direct, and, riddled with the powerful intent of an individual set upon a particular course. Although not entirely understood, the openness in which his display took place, was. He wanted her trust, and, in a way she desired his in return, but, at the moment, that had not entirely occurred to her. In their first meeting she had perhaps asked much, however, told far more about herself than he in respect revealed. Troubles with alcohol, the irritation, rage, and the pain booze washed away, hardly were as significant as the roots behind the issue at hand. The more personal she thought on the less she realized, that she knew. They may have held common ground, but, in truth they were still relative strangers.

She folded her arms across her chest, loosely raveling them together and having them clutch and cling onto each other. After a few seconds, she could not help but to wonder, if trust lay within the answers he would provide, or, if it would come from the way he responded. Tone. His expression. His honesty. Needless to say though, she was curious, and, her gaze had more than once wandered to the void within his body: a missing appendage on its own told little, but, backed by story of loss, it became an undying symbol of a memory that would never be forgotten. If all was how it appeared to be, he could retell, with at least some clarity, the events which led to such deformation, and, deformity.

A calm breeze blew, ruffling through her hair, still doing naught to alter her expression though. Her eyes met his, and, she took a breath as a hand went up casually to adjust her forehead protector. With one tilt, two tilt and then a third, her bangs were pushed up, and, in turn fell over-top of it; all but covering the tumbling leaf it depicted from his view in their locks. When she finished she brushed a few stray bangs off to the side, and sighed, feeling some more of her chakra ebb away. Finally, the quiet rumble of the waterfall behind had calmed things. Thus, she parted her lips to ask of him, her question.

“Will you tell me how you lost your arm?” She stood unmoving, only blinking once and holding that serious look upon her face. She did not ask because she wished to hurt him, rather, through curiosity, and, as he might have put it, a need to know, perhaps, in order to understand who he was, but, more so if he did warrant the trust that he sought of her in return. As it was, he was an acquaintance, an influential one nevertheless, but, still someone she had only happened upon by chance. Her family had objected to this meeting - those she told - her siblings worried what would come of it, if anything at all. However, what she did not have the heart to say to them, was that in their eyes she would always just be their younger sister. A title even in the first year of her teen-hood, she desired to shed entirely. They saw her as an object to protect, when, in reality she wished nothing more than to be able to defend them.

[Chae]

They were, without the shadow of a doubt, indeed strangers. It was because of that that Chae found it a necessity to earn Celes' trust, because without it, the goal in which Chae wanted Celes to achieve wouldn't have been even remotely possible. The feeling of trust needed to be mutual and not unrequited and in order attain that degree, the book to Chae's history and mind needed to be cracked open with an iron fist.

Confident in the certainty of his teaching method, Chae's mouth stretched into a slight grin, not at the memories that accompanied his loss, but the quick second willingness Celes took to grasp his opportunity. Thereafter, his answer soon followed.

"Well for starters, i used to think money was the world so everything I did, everything, was motivated by money. I'd gotten an offer, half a million ryo to infiltrate Kumogakure and rob its vault blind."

Recalling upon the pain he experienced before fainting, his right hand raised up to and rubbed the nub where his left arm had once been.

"Two fellow mist comrades and myself went beneath the Mizukage and carried out the plan. On our way there, just outside the village, We put down three shinobi natives & proceeded. Flying over the village via Kuchiyose while one immediately charged its gates. We approached from above and slammed through the jinchuriki Raikage's ceiling. From there, we simply fought, to which i became the flawless victor, claiming his and the lives of his ANBU ops.

It was all successful. I got my share and returned home. But the Mizukage caught on and punished us, me ultimately losing my arm. Pulled from my shoulder. That made me question who i'd become."

While it sounded farfetched, it hadn't been anything far from the truth, after all, he had a memento with him as a reminder.

[Celes]

(OOC: Oh, uh thanks

His grin, Celes knew what it meant, and, she in turn gave Chae a reassuring nod, encouraging him to not only start, but, to tell on well to the end. For a time soon afterward, she listened; ignoring the escape of fleeting chakra, ignoring the pittering and the rushing onslaught of the falls, and, the subsequent way the moisture from it, dampened most of her person. Every now and then, she blinked, the lids of her eyes wiping away what wetness had gathered and dispelling it in the form of tiny water droplets which ran down her cheeks. She ran a hand along them, thereafter, locking it back together with the other across her chest.

On a clear day like this, they were individual, unique and refined in the sunlight, flickering, once, or, twice before being swept away, down and into the lake below. Still, such distractions did not fair well, for, not only did she observe him, but, her eyes would not venture farther off; a sign of respect to not only him, but, additionally to what he told in his words. By all means, she appeared attentive,interested, and mostly, glad to know something that previously, plagued her mind. Learning of his prior obsession in money did not surprise her, nor, did his indicated success, however, the punishment given, seemed too cruel, at least, for her tastes. Death might have been better, but, perhaps the life of a kage was worth an arm.

In those moments, she wanted to look away – to look at anything but him – yet, she did not, offering only a sad smile; a contradiction in itself, it was meant to show empathy, but, in all honesty, she had nothing to relate to that pain, other, than the loss of a loved one, which, was a different matter entirely. There was a little of that sadness held within her eyes. It did not stay judgment, but, she did provide any. This was not meant to be about that, and, she would not make it so that it was. His past, was just that – events which could not be changed – long gone, but, not forgotten. She would not blame him for those actions, or, even pretend to understand a motivation (for monetary wealth), that, she had never felt herself. Instead, she took a hesitant stepped forward, closing the gap between them even further.

Having just been told that the man before her was not only a killer, but, a thief, and, the murderer of a village leader as well, it might have been more prudent to retreat, not advance. However, the youth did the latter without hesitation, and without any indication of anger, ill intent, or, judging eyes. She just tilted her head slightly, and, shook it as though the circumstances themselves had only been brought up in passing. In a way, she had gotten what she wanted: the truth. A story like that, it would have made for a nice dramatization in one of the novels her elder brother used to read. It sounded like fiction, but, the evidence was before her eyes, and, she ran her gaze along it one more time. For what it was worth, she did not believe it was untrue.

A brief wonder that struck her as she rested her hands loosely at her sides, coming to a stop again, and, momentarily staring down into the depths below, upon which, she stood and moved on. He was still meters off, and, so was the umbrella that had been tossed, meters more in fact. Her footsteps forward were meant as an indication of good faith, or, a trust in what words had been said and told about. So, sighing lightly she rubbed her left shoulder a few times, and, began to respond. “What of the others – those you called comrades, your friends I take it; do you recall what happened to them?” While the response itself might have indicated a test, the lighthearted tone suggested anything but that. For a moment, she went on to something much darker.

“Did . . . did you enjoy killing?” Yes, she implied a more sinister nature, but it was no more probing than the first of her inquiries. If she were to be around him, it was right to know him, or, at least know how far he had came from what he was. She fell silent, but, despite the relative serious nature of her last words, she seemed more awkward than anything else, perhaps, even worried that she had pushed the topic a bit too far. With brief fear mixed with embarrassment in dulcet reds sweeping and holding true in streaks upon her face and cheeks, she looked on, peering downwards then back up at him.

[Chae]

As the sound of his words faded off into the near distance, replaced by the sound of seamlessly flowing water and the steps Celes had taken once her body motioned itself closer and closer towards Chae's general position. As their eyes met, Chae saw a great many things that Celes' own expelled through expression alone: fear, respect, empathy, all telltale signs in the eyes of one trained so harshly through the trials of the shinobi universe. Despite that, Celes walked on, approaching Chae as though the trust that once seemed non-existent, had merely grown to be nothing more than a meager seed that'd yet to have been planted. To establish the comfortableness that Chae wanted, Celes needed to dig deeper, and without hesitation, she had done just that. Initially, she inquired of his comrades, mostly hinting towards their punishment, a punishment that would not only hint at their individual power, but Kirigakure as a whole.

"Yokumaru, my closes non-relative friend, three of his five living hearts were ripped from his chest by the Mizukage, Leaving him very much alive despite having die three times in a single instant. As for the other, his name eludes me, however, his eyes were plucked from his head, leaving him blind permanently, presuming he hasn't had any transplants yet. "

A moment of silence followed which allowed Celes' mind to wholeheartedly soak in his words into the forefronts of her mind. Taking the bull by the horns, Celes' dug deeper into the rabbit hole, to which, naturally, everything only became darker and darker. Her diligence hadn't been anything short of admirable.

"Well, did I enjoy it? no, not the killing itself. It was more about having the power to do so, to just have that thought, 'I know I can end his life whenever I please', that's what I used to enjoy. Killing just came with that thought and the involvement of money. I've assassinated three individual village leaders over the course of my career, two Raikage's, and one Tsuchikage, all of which I actually regret doing. I was young fool who'd only been fueled by the idea that 'Kirigakure had to be the absolute best'."

Sighing as the darkest of his past moments came to bear, rushing vehemently to the surface of his mind, a tear ran down his cheek as his chest filled with an almost painful pressure, the pressure of guilt & regret. Quickly wiping it away, he gathered his breath and shared his most chilling moment, one that would've easily turned Celes away depending on her reaction.

"This. . .world. Shinobi's, governed by nothing but orders that have to be followed to the letter. Kouga village, January 5th. No sooner after losing my arm had I been sent out by the same man that took it away to exterminate a village populated by women, children, and men alike, all because Samurai opposed Kirigakure's leader, and he retaliated without even a sliver of mercy. I - I killed them all. Their faces, screams, and pains plague my mind every day, even now."

With another subconscious tear, he chuckled as the thought of his wife popped in his head.

"I've told my wife these stories, and despite that, she allowed me to change, helped me. Guided me to see the error in my old philosophy and ways. There is no way for you to usher in an certainty, but that man that I once was seven years ago, died in Kirigakure. I will tell you now Celes, either way you cut it, as a shinobi, you will face loss, you will kill to achieve something. That's just the way it is, just. . .don't let go of your humanity because of it. "

[Celes]

Lips parted into a few deep breaths, droplets of sweat forming whence there had been none, as, words danced about the water. Albeit, much harsher than before, Celes, did not reject them, in fact, she tried to still the beat that built up within her heart as time passed, and, in turn more chakra vanished into the streaming mists around. She exhaled; she inhaled, not willing to bring up her mild discomfort, since, it would be not only rude to interrupt, but, severely disrespectful to events that were painful, riddled with emotions ranging from anger, hatred, sadness and fear. So, she listened on, as he told on, no longer inching closer, instead, remaining still; propped above the currents that swirled ever downwards, being repelled by the expelled and channeled energy surrounding her feet.

Eventually, while he spoke, the streaks of red faded from her face, and, that awkwardness which was so present and prevalent before, all-but disappeared. Expressions contorted, but, never settled as though she could not decide exactly, what to feel, or, how to properly feel everything at once. Tried as she could, there was no empathy to reflect upon those whom had been punished. Punishments dolled out with such brutality, that, just hearing about them was enough to stun her into a complacent silence. Yet, some broke through nevertheless, in a few tears that were subconsciously held back – kept from trailing down the sides of her cheeks. Hardly aware of them, she momentarily shifted her gaze down when he stopped, briefly. Then he continued, and, her head rose again, her eyes only breaking their fixation when she needed to blink.

In those blinks, she found that build up of tears, and wiped her eyes once, and, twice. Thereafter, she adjusted the position of her arms several times, until, she found that they were most comfortable held across and interlocked just below her chest. Matched together, they rose and fell with her heavier breaths, just as noticeable as the sheen of salt and water upon her neck in the flickering light. Still though, she observed now solemnly as he admitted things he would scarcely tell close friends, perhaps, only in converse with the people closest to him. In a way, she should have been terrified by what he revealed, however, some part of her knew, that a few missteps and she could become just like he was. That thought alone, sent a shiver down her spine, and, she shuddered, deciding to stare upwards at the waterfall as he talked.

The final words which seemed to be quietly screamed, if that were possible, did not strike as hard as he might have thought, because, she knew from what had already been said that some sort of learned revelation was coming, and, her mind readily prepared barriers around itself to deal with that harsh truth. A reality in which he knew that for himself had once been true, and, the cold hard fact that in the life of a Shinobi, loyalty to order, to a village was considered to be the highest authority. A person that dared to break it risked everything, but, also risked losing his or herself in a madness that could not be contained. The desire for power was a slippery slope – one that could lead into the darkest depths of the world – yet at the same time, it could be a salvation.

His chuckle though, brought her back from all those disturbed, young thoughts, and, she met it with a soft, clearly hesitant smile. The minutes that had ticked on were highlighted on such sinister notions that it almost felt unnatural to do so, but, the point had been trust. His tears and emotions were more than enough to reveal that all that he had spoken of, at one point, or, another, had touched so deeply as to scrape against the very fabric of what made him unique from another person: his soul. He believed that he had changed, had to believe it for his wife, and loved ones. For Celes that was enough, she would ask no more of him.

She stared blankly; blinked, breathed and took another step forward, shuffling across water, thereafter another and another, until she was so close that meters could no longer be measure. For a second she only looked up at him, however, soon after she took one final step and wrapped her arms around him into a hug (should he not retreat that is). To any onlookers it might look a tad ridiculous, but, it was not meant to be so in the least. Remaining like that, she would press up against him almost so he could feel how fast her heart was racing, then, she would release him and back up to give him room. “I believe you needed that,” she said casually, and, afterward just waited. Although he had spoken so much, she believed that this was a bit more than about trust. Yes that was part of it, but, he needed someone else, other than whom he was already close to, to come to terms with what he had done, and, well, not hate him for it.

“If that is the way the world is, I am going to change it,” she said softly, speaking a tad through a breath, so it came out just above a hushed tonality.

[Chae]

Altough he wouldn't have dared to admit it, his story and word hadn't entirely been for Celes' benefit, but Chae's own as well. Just having been privileged with the opportunity to relinquish the guilt that amassed within him left him feeling rejuvenated and refreshed. Overcome with those seeming overwhelming feelings, he immediately noticed that Celes continued her approach from where she had stopped just moments prior.

Before long, she'd gotten close, immeasurably close, namely to the point where her own heartbeat seemingly pounded within his eardrums. Happily, he returned the gesture with the one arm that remained attached to her body while his face lit up in a toothy grin at her comment. However, the word that followed genuinely surprised Chae for the briefest of moments.

"Heh, and that's exactly why im going to give you the power& skill to make that possible."

With that he stepped back only a handful of meters(3), remaining stoic in posture but with a tone of excitement. He wanted to test the girls limits, albiet slowly, and gauge the pace in which she grasps information and optimizes the benefits from it.

"While this may seem abrupt, I don't want you out here too late so a quick lesson will be enough. Simply put the foundation in which you should rely on in all situations is hand-to-hand combat. While you teachers may have preached this, i will teach it on a far superior level. Now come at me, lets see what ya got kiddo."

Feet& legs shoulder length apart with a slight bend, Chae was ready and naturally, he hoped Celes had been too.

[Celes]

Abrupt, that's putting it mildly, Celes thought. Although, she still could not help but to return his prior good will with a smirk of her own. Shaking her head, she gave him a strong nod in response as he retreated a few meters back and seamlessly flowed from a stance of normalcy into that of a calm combative one; his legs were spread slightly apart, bent a tad, while, the rest of him stood firm. Suddenly, everything that had been said, would have been told, faded from her mind; everything became a honed and sharp reality, where the slightest droplet of sweat, of water,could be felt, and, the last sounds piercing the silence were his words which slowly became obscure, and then, no longer were entirely.

This she observed, from the distance chosen between them. Quite clearly, he meant that what he said: hand-to-hand combat, that was what he desired from her. Unfortunately, her stockpile of energy had been sapped over the course of their conversation, and, now it showed visibly in sweat – wetness taken not from the water that continuously fell, but, instead met by her own, salty and warm that mixed with it, swirling into the first signs of growing fatigue. In her eyes as well served the drain, however, therein lingered a fierceness, a sort of wild expression that enveloped even as they narrowed, and, thereafter focused upon him. A dead-sight glare, that would not break.

Moments passed, and, soon the silence paired only with the natural reverberations (sounds of wildlife the water and akin things), kept true. She stared at him, blinking once or twice before sliding just one step closer – a brief shuffle across the surface as the tension rebounded and pushed against her sandals. Another step followed, coming short to slip one foot slightly behind the other, while, her hands came up in front of her. They flashed before his eyes. One seal, tiger, two seal, boar and hold; hands parting and splitting, with, the right darting in a burst of chakra around her back and gripping the hilt of a blade to complete the preparation.

She breathed in deep as a wealth of energy fled, expelling from one release and into its proper focus point. With that last breath she ran towards him, leaning as the brief gap would close to next to nil, in seconds. One meter then another, and, as her body positioned itself lower, her left hand curled into a fist, while its opposite, crept behind lingering in position. Nearing the last footfall, she struck for his side – a jab that would go for torso. Should it not be interrupted, it would stop just short of hitting his person. Instead, the right shifted, unsheathing steel in an instant and coming forward. Yet with it in tandem, an intense heat surrounded the sheen of metal, both recognizable and felt unto herself, and, of course Chae since he was so close. It would cross above and go upwards, the flat edge barreling forward and pressing to burn through cloth and cinder flesh.

Her intent though, showed through until the very end. She did not wish to harm him, a fault that perhaps she could not be blamed for. As much as her eyes demanded his approval, the rest fell short in a considerable conundrum of subconscious and uncontrollable emotion. She did not stab, instead applied the blunt edge, and, if it did make contact, she would not leave it upon him long, for, the fear of burning him. It was in her nature to be kind – to please – and as she had never seen actual combat it would be painfully obvious that even with the enchantment of Katon upon her armament, the hesitation in the actions could be read, especially by one of such experience.

She panted steadily throughout.

(OOC: It kills me when I know that I would fight a certain way, but, there is no way my character would. Actions: Fake jab to lower left torso; A blunt strike with a flame enchanted bowie knife aimed upwards. Low then high strikes basically in case my wording was confusing.  Chakra Expended: Low x5 Mid x1)

[Chae]

She had much to learn in a vast amount of time, especially if Chae really intended on relinquishing the mediocre skills taught to Celes by her academy teachers which, for an amount of years, couldn't have hoped to reach the same plateau of Chae's power. He wouldn't have babied her, he refused to, instead, he'd capitalize on her mistakes, force her to adjust correctly and learn from said mistakes. Her first step forward, hadn't been wrong, inching in and gauging your opponent had always been a necessity within the spectrum of hand-to-hand combat, however, her mistake had stemmed from her handseals when so relatively close to an opponent whose specialty was: Speed.

Immediately, Chae mirrored each step, drawing them even closer, now within what would've easily been 'kill range'. Her hands merged together to form a seal, which, could've easily been thwarted had he been armed with a projectile of some kind. Nevertheless, this had only been what some might've classified as orientation. The moment she reached over her shoulders to reach, grasp, pull, and unseathe her sword, Chae had already been upon her with a simple push against the waters surface, closing that distance within the blink of an eye. Within arms reach, his hand reach down towards Celes' own left, which, at that time, hadn't been extended just yet to achieve the necessary power for an attack.

Already aligned with her arm, his forearm moved up to Celes' leading attack, however, in a split second realization, the attack had been nothing more than a decoy, indicated by its abrupt halt in movement. Nevertheless, the thought of her follow attack never entered Chae's mind as he decided to show her just how crucial and unsafe feint attacks could be. Intuitively, his right arm would've reached for and cupped the base of her wrist (well before its retraction) with his hand, and pulled away at it thereafter, abruptly shifting not only her weight but her balance against her will. Having pulled her towards him with all his might, in a single, fluid motion, he released his grip whilst moving his hand up her arm to grab and clutch the side of her shirts collar.

With a single push - presuming everything proceeded as planned- Celes' body would've been sent flying roughly 4 meters away in the same direction in which she approached him.

[Celes]

Water swished about; swirling beneath feet in excess and pushing upwards as pressure was removed, replaced and again removed. Jerking forward, Celes was in fact tugged by her wrist before she could react. Pressed up into him, her legs flailed, and, a knee went up – doing little if not anything at all to hinder him, nor his efforts thereafter. Her collar gripped and tore up, cut off her air momentarily and in turn led into a gasp as her young body was maneuvered about in ease. Surely her weight and subsequent shortness played some part in this, however, with more than just the innate advantage of his height and body, Chae had no trouble in applying the greater strength that he possessed. With some manner of vain struggle against him – the squirming of legs in front; the blade she still clutched in one hand – the motions were to no avail.

Flung back by the mere tossing gesture, she soared through the air, meters passing by in a near instant, whilst, momentum picked up and gravity held its part in lowering her ever towards the surface, shadows dancing just above the glimmer before ramming down and all-but vanishing. A jetting spurned up in a crash, sending a spray of mist and liquid to match that of the waterfall, as, her body struck and temporarily went under, drenching everything in its widespread touch. Yet, with a panted breath, she was above, up again, shifting off of her hands to propel herself back upright. For a moment, she hovered just above, chakra streaming off of her soles, but, then they flattened out, straightening down and repelling once more.

Droplets eclipsed everything about her person now, even taken precedent over the rapid breaths, and, the nonstop pounding of her heart. They clung to cloth, glistened on her headband, wetting its tied and looped fashion; her hair in turn matted by them, considerably darker now but no less red – a shimmering maroon as she shook her head out and coughed, once, twice and thrice again. With a hand that came up she wiped the moisture from her mouth and cheeks dragging it across slowly, while she stared mostly in dumfound praise at the man whom had rather easily dispatched her. Its opposite applied a light tap to where he had grabbed her. She winced, feeling the starting formation of a bruise already.

Now a factor again – distance – the meters between them only slightly more than her first charge, she again took that hesitant step forward, slipping across the slippery surface which such care to the change in her stance. Observing him, she watched to see if he wished her to act again, to strike against him, leaving him time to make his own aggressive act if he wanted. Moments passed before she decided, that yes she would attempt to do so, with her right hand still clinging to that six inch blade of hers, the left ventured into the pouch at her side.

From it, she drew a lone black kunai which she held off to the side. In the next instant she darted forward, cutting the distance as rapidly as she could manage. Granted, compared to Chae, her speed was negligible at best. Donning weapons in each head, she was prepared to meet him should he mirror her, coming forward as she did. Regardless, as meters faded into nothingness she readied them all-the-same. Almost figuring that she could not hurt him – even if she wished too – there was less resistance, or, fear within her eyes this time, just, a sour determination not to be, well, for lack of a better term: humiliated. Lingering in that expression was that flush of red from how easily he had stopped her previously, and, she had not quite recovered from that embarrassment.

As she had not loosened contact with her longer knife, chakra still channeled and bored through it, increasing its temperature significantly as a little more of her energy was sapped. That in mind, when he would become near, she struck out. First with the longer of the pair of armaments, slashing for him diagonally down as the opposite went beneath that strike, criss-crossing, and going across horizontally for his midsection. A simultaneous act, intended to take advantage of the fact that he possessed only one arm that could defend himself. Still even as steel shimmered about, whizzing in its rapidness (in one case practically enveloped in heat), she held doubts to whether or not such a tactic would be effective on a man whom had lived with, and, killed with a disability for a great amount of time.

[Chae]

Just for a moment, Celes had been submerged right beneath the surface of the lake, now wet, drenched, and quite possible filled with primordial levels of adrenaline. Before long, she pulled her self out of the water and stood before Chae once more as he felt the determination within the space that separated the two. He could tell, she hadn't dealt with someone so hardened and experience, someone who could've easily laid waste to a great many teachers himself single-handedly - no pun intended. Just as she readied herself once more he spoke before realizing that she willing wanted to continue.

"Keep calm. Realizing danger can be your greatest tool, but don't overuse it. Stay calm and fully optimize what you have to work with. "

Once spoken, Celes seemed to have obtained her confidence, indicated by her lack of hesitance in approaching Chae for a second time, yet, with a more effective approach. Having withdrew a kunai, she obviously planned to use it one way or the other, either way, Chae refused to underestimate the young girl. The possibilities, all of them that he managed to concoct swept through the openness of Chae's mind, from using it as a secondary weapon, projectile distraction, decoy, the uses seemed infinite. Regardless, those thoughts became mere after thought as Celes bolted forward yet again and reduced the distance between them as best she could.

Finally, she had been upon him, and with ferocious tenacity added in the mix. This was it, this was that fire that he wanted, that lack of fear for harming another even in practice, she needed to do away with it and Chae encouraged her too. While his effortless display was intentional, it was undoubtedly to get a point across: be determined and exploit anything. In life or death, trying to be kind and honorable by not exploiting a man with one arm, or a man with no sight could easily turn into the death of oneself. Regardless, Celes lunged forward with simultaneous strikes, one horizontal, and the other shoulder to waist. A fine combination which left Celes in the advantage considering Chae's height coupled with the distance prohibited him from ducking while sidestepping the diagonal strike could've been quite difficult, especially considering it covered the side of his missing arm.

A quick smile towards her efforts, he would've pushed against the water with both feet, which, ultimately propelled him back with a moderate back-peddle. Not even a moment later had he raised the tips of his only hand and aimed it towards Celes' general direction, firing off two, rudimentary bolts of lightning, one aimed for the fingers that remained cupped around her larger weapon, and the toes of her left sandal. Presuming everything proceeded as had done so within his head, the likliehood of Celes dropping her weapon and stumbling forward from the strike in her toe coupled with the frontal momentum that carried her. As a result, another disruption of balance in both stance and strike left Chae unharmed.

Why such rudimentary bolts would've achieved such a grand effect? Easy, Chae's mastery of lightning, a level of mastery that Celes had only gotten a glimpse of at that moment.

SPOILER: Click to show

Danpen Inazuma (Shooting Thunder)
Rank: C
Range: Close (0m ~ 5m), Mid (0m ~ 5m)
Type: Offensive
Handseals: -
Chakra Consumption: Mid
Meant more as a reactionary technique than a main avenue of offense, this jutsu allows the user to essentially shoot out small lightning bolts from a free hand to anyone within a small range. This requires no seals to conjure, and can be shot out from one’s appendage during the most heated of combat. The damage is light and the bolts shoot off in a relatively straight line, at rapid speeds.

[Celes]

From the act, there was a simultaneous response: Celes yelped; she dropped her knife as one foot slid in front of another, and, the last of the bolts struck upon the forefront of a paired sandal. Electricity shocked – burned – the sides of her palm and tore through the hem which wove between and around the cusps of her footwear. Unraveling in an instant, she stumbled forward balance fading, only to be saved another trip down under by a rapidly gripping jerk of her opposite foot; pushing harder down unto it, the pressure repelled the initial surface tension further and surrounded it, briefly, in empty space. That void eased the transition, bringing sturdiness and evenness to that which now was, not level. A sandal sunk into the lake, leaving her foot bare as she slowly regained her composure. When she did so, she gave him a hesitate look, mostly filled with a blush, and bent down to remove what would only be a burden: the remaining sandal.

Thereafter, she rose back up. Which should have stirred anger, perhaps so with its intent being to upset her, or, humiliate with such effortlessness, did not. Despite being embarrassed, she smirked into a laugh, and, that laugh led onto several more. Strangely, she laughed as a few tears watered in her eyes – lingering – and as her hand throbbed, already darkening with a soon to be abrasion. For some reason she saw a bit of humor in the way Chae had decide to dispatch her most recent attempts in harming him. Still drenched from the previous scuffle droplets formed and descended, from cloth, skirt, pants and her long hair, glistening in the light from the clear day, even, as the sun began to dry away everything.

He may have been trying to turn her into a true Shinobi, but, so much of her was still young, and in that youth she could find amusement. Amusement, and joy that had (as of yet) not been swallowed by the bitter truths that so often could not be changed. Truths that defined reality and how the world worked; but, like so many before her, she did not want to believe. She would rather stand strong and change everything, than allow herself to be erased – to conform to what was expected and known to be true in the world's mind. He could tell on about the way she needed to be, like the fire that swelled up in that second response, however, the fuel driving her was not anger, nor, the need to serve his own beliefs without question, instead, she only did so, because, he had wished it. In his display, he had asked, and, she decided to answer in the way that he wanted.

So, again her eyes narrowed; they focused upon him – he whom was not that far away – and she observed in silence, the last of her laughter vanishing as quickly as it had come. The smiles that it had brought were swapped with an expression of determination, and, a look that could pierce through a person without much of a second thought. In that glare, there was the will present to try once more. And her feet both bare and ridden with chakra, burst forward in that energy, propelling her upwards into the air. Near the precipice of that height which drew her above him, she tossed the kunai in advance towards his lower position knowing well enough that she need to cover herself. For a heightened vantage, left openings that needed to be addressed before an opponent could react in aggression.

She followed it down descending in an arches of spins, and flexing a leg out to soak up the last of the momentum, as her shadow began to eclipse his own. However, with one notable difference: the armament had been thrown as to strike at his left torso, specifically the lower end of it, while, she positioned herself to strike, albeit a few moments later, at the height of his right shoulder. A heeldrop with the potential rooted only in its blunt force and rudimentary application. Again, he would find himself in the bouts of an attack on two fronts. It might have been reckless, heck, it definitely was, but, she only wished to hit him a single time, even that would be a small victory in itself.

SPOILER: Click to show

Kaiten Kakatou Otoshi (Spinning Heel Drop)
Rank: C
Range: Close (0m ~ 5m)
Type: Offensive
Handseals: -
Chakra Consumption: Mid
A very basic but effective taijutsu attack, the Kaiten involves the user's leg in a reverse downward kick. After launching themselves into the air and begin to somersault, the user gains momentum within the chosen striking limb and come spinning down, laying their heels into the target's shoulders and head.

Note: If this kick connects with the opponent’s head, they will be stunned for one full turn.

Kunai expended x1
Bowie Knife dropped

[Chae]

Celes stumbled forward from Chae's rudimentary display of Raiton Ninjutsu, which in turn brought about the motion of stepping to Celes' side outwardly, intentionally giving her time to recover when he could've easily capitalized on his efforts. Regardless, her immediate reaction undoubtedly caught Chae off guard, bringing about an arch in his eyebrow, plainly indicating his momentary confusion. It was all but brief, replaced by his own moment of amusement and laughter. He returned both the smile and laughter, sharing it with Celes and vice versa, finally, Chae had learned what it felt like to invest in another, at least, on a teach & student level. Relishing in the thought for a moment, his mind returned just as Celes' had.

"Don't give up, just touching me at your level will be exceedingly difficult, however, do not let that thought discourage you, but instead drive you forward. Push harder and perform things you normally wouldn't do. You know you're capable, now, show me."

Nodding while hoping to boost her spirits and morale, she continued onward with her assault. With a quick second step, her body launched itself high into the air, a grave mistake that she could've easily picked up from the teachers poor skills at the academy. But, fortunately for Celes, Chae had been there to undo what has been taught and in turn replace it with something so magnificent that the village's so called prodigy's would've looked upon her in admiration. The kunai, well aware of its presence, Chae read her movements and anticipated the trajectory of her throw, knowing full well once it'd been release that its linear path wouldn't change. He stepped out laterally to his own right with a swift shuffle while concurrently raising his arm just as before and aligned the tip of his arrow-head shaped hand directly with Celes' body.

"Zap!"

Although he raised his hands as though an attack had been meant to follow, it only proved to act as a lesson that she learned in the following moments. The kunai, sank into the body of water which only left Chae to deal with Celes' own physical attack, a spinning heel drop. Comically, to teach her and amuse her as a balanced teacher would, the Chakra within his feet had been entirely dispelled, causing his entire body to sink down beneath the waters surface, fully submerged. With a smile on his face, Chae knew that Celes also knew that the moment her kick smacked down into the water, it'd have lost most if not all of its force.

Thereafter he swam just a couple of meters behind her and peaked only his head out of the surface; his hair obviously wet with trickles of waters streaming down and all around his head.

"Never, ever jump, unless you've got some kind of aerial defense. Sure a ninja can perform super human features, but against gravity, you're helpess and vulnerable. Whether its lightning or a tagged kunai, it'd have ended you in an instant."