The White Flame, training thread (Bai Houyan)

[Dream Catcher]

Bai Houyan Training Thread
Storyline Progression - Moderate
Missions Completed - 1
PvP Streak - 1 Win


Chaper 1
Team 13 (4-8) (http://forum.narutochaos.com/showthread.php?p=660124#post660124) - Field Day (10-13) (http://forum.narutochaos.com/showthread.php?p=660124#post660124) - Take a Dip (15 - Hot Springs Fiasco) (http://forum.narutochaos.com/showthread.php?p=686084#post686084)
Chapter 2


Missions
Hot Springs Fiasco (D) (http://forum.narutochaos.com/showthread.php?t=17061)


PvP Fights
vs. Nanashi (Win) (http://forum.narutochaos.com/showthread.php?t=12580&page=4)

[Dream Catcher]

Team 13



Genku Arizawa, 20 years old, Jounin

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f279/sexydimon/female_ninja_colored_by_tootaa18.jpg
Credit to Tootaa18 @ DA


Houyan Bai, 12 years old, Genin (Image coming soon)

Senju Nana, 13 years old, Genin
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f279/sexydimon/A_Beautiful_Ninja___Colour_by_W_E_Z.jpg
Credit to W-E-Z @ DA


Robinson Ed, 12 years old, Genin (Image coming soon)






















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[Dream Catcher]

Reserved some more !!





























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[Dream Catcher]

Chapter 1 : Team 13


*YAWN*

Bai Houyan, 13 years old, Genin

*The bed springs squeaked softly as a fuzzy haired boy sat up and greeted the new day. His eyes, still half closed, showed evidence of a most delicious dream that ended prematurely. Whether it was kicking bad guys' butts, or chasing pretty girls, one thing was for certain, he did not want to get out of bed just yet*

Hurry up Bai, you'll miss your first day as a Genin !!

Chi Houyan, 33 years old, Med-Nin (Jounin)

*The familiar voice rubber Bai's ears gently and his eyes slowly began to open. With one last squeak, the bed straightened itself out as the kid's weight stopped using the soft cushion for support and was instead held up by his legs. Such a beautiful morning called for more sleep, and Bai knew it, and he knew his mom knew it, but today he was meeting his new team !

Bai was excited about finally graduating to Genin. His father and mother were well known shinobi in Konoha, but for some reason he felt no pressure to live up to their status and fame. The young boy knew that, and more importantly his parents knew, that his shinobi career is a blank sheet with only an ink and a pen at his side. He will have to write his own story, fight his own enemies, and help his own friends.*

SFX : Running Water

Bai ! You better not be sleeping !

I'mff nuat !

SFX : Water shuts off

*Wiping off the remaining toothpaste on his face, Bai eagerly slips into his clothes and races down the wooden stairs of his house.

Sliding to a stop on the slick parquet, Bai finds the breakfast already set out on the table and his mom in her Jounin clothes, all ready to leave*

Is dad out already?? *Bai asks his mom as he takes a sip from the orange juice glass in front of him*

Yeah, he left before I wake up... Probably something important... *Before Bai could ask where he went, his mom cut in* I'm leaving too, it's going to be a really busy day today. Finish up your food and don't be late to your meeting place... you remember where it is?? *Chi poked Bai's head lovingly and headed out the door*

Of course I know where it is...

*The kid grumbled to himself as he downed the orange juice and placed the cup in the sink. To be honest, he was a bit nervous about meeting his team. He was always good at making friends, but that does not mean he was never nervous. Most of the time he worried about making a good first impression, only to have those troubles fade away at realizing that everyone likes him the way he is.

With that comfortable feeling in his chest, Bai swung open the front door and the bright sun punched him right in the eyes*

[Dream Catcher]

Ghaa !!

*The genin lifted his hands and ducked his head. Anything to protect himself from the blinding light. A sort of freshness filled the morning air. The shops' bright canopies extended on each side of the street; casting their cool shade on the sunny pavement and luring in customers with their interesting displays of clothes, food and flowers. Ever since joining the Academy, Bai had come to know the stores' policies quite well. "No shopping, No shade!" It was a new idea circulating the market those days. The shop owners believed that their revenues would improve, if people were given something they wanted, almost entirely for free. Of course, once stepping into the shop, the overwhelming breath of the seller and the mountains of "Half-Off" merchandise would entirely cancel out the "free shade," which Bai later learned could be found under a nice orange tree, and for much cheaper*

Hey you... !!

No buy no shade !!

Stop right there !!

HAHAHHAAH

*Bai laughed in his head as the angry store owners kept yelling warnings and obscenities at him. After all, he was running through their share of the shade without even thinking of stepping into the confines of the store and fall in the grasp of the owners. He figured if he ran fast enough, no one would dare to chase him and leave their own merchandise unattended.*

Sayonara !!

*The quirky kid weaved his way through the growing crowds of shoppers and made a sharp turn, disappearing behind one of the buildings*

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ahhh, finally I'm here... I hope taking the long way didn't make me last

*Bai's hands gripped the sandy bricks as he lifted himself up onto the small wall, separating the kindergarten and the street*

Sure is a weird place to hold a meeting...

*Bai thought to himself as he stood still on top of the fence. His balance was better than most his age, but that did not stop him from grabbing onto a branch of a nearby tree, for support. The kindergarten was unusually quiet, especially for the amount of children it had and Bai concluded that they were all in class at the moment. The still air formed a sort of, dreamy, state. And combined with the quietness of the neighborhood and the warm sun, it's effects were only amplified. Beginning to feel a bit drowsy, the genin's body began wobbling back and forth. Suddenly feeling a tug on his leg, his feet tried to find footing in mid-air. Only his hands saved him from the seemingly inevitable fall, and Bai ended up hanging from the branch like a stranded cat*

What's the big idea?!

*He screamed out, scurrying his feet to find the wall somewhere beneath him*

Ahahah, I didn't mean to startle you.....

*A nervous laugh echoed underneath Bai, and he crossed his legs instinctively , even if he was wearing pants*

Here, let me help you...

*The nervous voice spoke again, this time with a hint of eagerness in it. Bai momentarily felt someone swing his feet forward as they found the safety of the brick wall. Finding stable footing, Bai turned his head to look at his assailant, and ironically, his savior. Next to the wall stood a small girl, or at least she seemed that way from where the genin stood. Her blue hair stood out vividly in the brownness of the surroundings, drawing all attention to it's bright monochromatic hue*

Sorry that I startled you... I didn't mean to...

*Her voice was a bit clearer now, and it seemed to play music to Bai's ears*

It's fine... *He said in a forgiving tone* Thank Gaara I was holding on to that branch, otherwise it might have turned ugly

*He jumped down from the wall after finishing his lines, sending a cloud of dust up in the air. To his surprise, the seemingly short girl ended up being taller than him, and he had to lift his head to meet her eyes*

Uhh...I'm Bai...

*He muttered his name under his breath, still amazed by the girl's height. Bai was pretty tall himself, or at least he considered himself to be, but never has he seen a girl taller than him. Bewildered, he kept starring at her face. Maybe waiting for an answer, maybe just trying to figure things out in his head*

I'm Nana, nice to meet you

Senju Nana, 14 years old, genin

*She suddenly jumped forward and embraced Bai. He could feel her chin pressed against his nose, making it a bit hard for him to breather*

Hfofwf nfifcfe... *He finally managed to push her off of him and sweet, sweet air flooded his lungs* AHHH... thanks for the hug? *He didn't know what else to say and his eyes fixated on her face once more*

Oh, new friendships, .....

*An aroma of candle wax and ink swam through the air as the two looked up to the tree above them, where the voice was coming from. A boy with short orange hair and quizzical look on his face was flipping though a small notebook*

Dang, nothing rhymes with "friendship,"... my career is in ruin, what am I doin' ?

*Putting the book away, the boy starred at the two below him. The looks on their faces said it all. "What a weirdo." Landing right in front of Bai and Nene, the kid spoke with utter confidence, and maybe a hint of conceitedness*

Name's Ed, favorite color is red

Ed Robinson, 12 years old, genin

*The audience looked at each other, trying to hold in the laughter building up in their bodies*

I'm...heh...Bai...heh...

*He put his hands up to his mouth and turned away. The sight of Ed only made his laughing worse*

I'm Nene...heh

*The girl followed in Bai's footsteps and put turned away from the new kid. Their backs moved spasmodically and chuckles could be heard coming out of their closed mouths*

Why the laughter, is there a joke you two take after?

HAHAHA

HAHAHAHA

*Suddenly the two kids fell on their knees, laughter pouring out of their mouths, noses and ears. While all this was happening, Ed just stood there bewildered, trying to figure out what was so funny. Finally the laughter ceased after about five minutes, and Bai turned to their new acquaintance, wiping tears off his eyes*

Don't mind us Ed, we're just being silly. It's really nice to meet you...

Nice to meet....

Nice to meet you Ed ! *Nene quickly cut in before Ed could say another word and wrapped her arms around him, just as she did around Bai. Ed turned out to be a bit taller than Bai, and him and Nene were the same height*

Sooo, now what...

*Bai jumped to the defense of Ed, seeing the poor kid, flailing his arms all over the place*

Now that you mention it, I was told to meet my new teammates and my sensei here. Guess we're all in one team from now on...

Seems like it... I wonder who our sensei is going to be ! I hope it's someone honorable !

Oh, I hope it's someone pretty !

And I hope it's someone artistic, and mystic !

*The three began taking turns in describing what they hope their sensei would be like as the sun moved slowly overhead. A bell rang nearby, and voices of energetic shinobi-to be filled the silence of the day*

[Dream Catcher]

SFX : Grumble !

Awwwww... where's sensei !! I'm so hungryyy !!

SFX : Grumble !

*Nana sighed, holding her hands pressed on her stomach. The gleaming sun was now past it's midpoint in the sun, indicating the start of afternoon and almost 5 hours since the kids have met, and waited for their sensei to show up. A mild scent of food, floated over from the kindergarten and sneaked itself into the kids' nostrils. Nana was already take victim by the tempting odor and Ed and Bai were not far behind*

I can't take this anymore ! I'm getting myself some food !!

*Nana suddenly jumped up and began climbing over the wall separating her from her goals. The smell became stronger and stronger as she peeked her head over top of the structure and starred at the bowls of ramen set up on a picnic table, situated under the wall. A bit of drool seeped out of her mouth as she extended her hands down toward the bowl only to find numerous pairs of eyes stare back at her. Then, suddenly..."

WAAAAAAAAA !!!!!!!

*The kids exploded into a mix of crying and laughter, causing Nana to lose her balance and fall back behind the wall*

Well, did you get anything...

*Bai said mockingly as his head hovered over Nana's*

Pffff..... just help me up

*Bai and Ed lifted the girl off the ground and watched her dust off. Nana's risque move only left her with a bruised back and a hungry stomach. The three agreed that if their teacher doesn't show up in the next hour they will all go get some food together*

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hey guys ! Sorry I'm late !!

Genku Arizawa, 20 years old, Jounin

*The teacher finally shows up ! The kids turned abruptly to face the direction which the voice was coming from. To Bai's amazement, it was another girl, and yes, she was taller than him*

Great.. I'm the shortest in the group...

Are you our Sensei??

*Nana addressed the girl with a contemplating look*

Well, I guess I am... *Arizawa quickly scanned the group* Okay, we don't have much time and we're already behind, so let's get started right away...

*Sensei turned her back, kicking up some dust clouds as her feet shuffled along the dirt road. Ed, Bai and Nana automatically followed her, not even asking why she was so late, they were just happy she came !*

I'm so happy, I forgot Nana feels so crappy...

Whaa .. ???

HAHHAHA, you're one random kid Ed...

Let's pick it up !!

*The four kicked up dirt as they followed their teacher through the winding streets of Konoha*

[Dream Catcher]

Well, here we are !

*Arizawa stood in the middle of a large grassy area. Surrounded by the forest, a river flowed not far away from where the girl stood. It was still bright out, but the sun was beginning to hide it's rays behind the distant horizon. A light breeze blew across the field, bending the fragile blades in the same direction, as if they were waves of the calm ocean*

What is this place??

*Bai, Ed and Nana finally cought up with their sensei. Their faces were showing signs of fatigue, but their spirits were as high as ever*

This is our training grounds... from now on we will meet here at eight o'clock each morning to start our training...

Eight in the morning?! That's crazy !

Call it whatever you like, you are genin now ! Your duty is to protect the village, and you need to be strong to protect the village... that's why I'm here

*A powerful gust suddenly passed over the field and quickly subsided as it hit the river*

The day almost seems to be over, let's relax for today adn get to know each other better... *She motioned for the the kids to come closer and they all sat down on the cool grass* Well, they look like a good group of kids... hope they won't be as troublesome as my last.. : Let's start with you, tell us your name and a bit about you

*She pointed to Bai who at first didn't realize that he was being called on*

Oh... hehe... well my name is Houyan Bai, you guys already knew that *He addressed his team-mates and turned back to his sensei* My mom is a med-nin and my dad is a Jounin... I like to run under the shade aaaaand my favorite food is wonton soup.

*He thought for another second and a look of delight came onto his face, signaling Ari that he was done*

Interesting, a mother and a father who are Jounin level... : Great ! Nice to meet you Bai.

*She smiled and nodded at Nana, letting her know it was her turn*

My name is Senju Nana...

Did she say Senju !? *A trickle of sweat rolled down Ari's cheek. She began to tremble a bit, but quickly got a grip of herself*

Are you okay Arizawa-sensei?

Y..yeah I'm fine. Keep going

Okay, as I was saying, my name is Senju Nana. I am 13 years old..

Dang ! I knew i forgot something... *Bai squinted at the girl's words*

My dream is to become as strong as I can be and prove my parents wrong...

*Her face showed signs of doubt and her eyes dropped down to the floor. Clinching her pants with her fists, she swiftly looked up and announced with a smile on her face*

That I am not weak !

Nana...

Well Nana, work hard and you will definitely become strong : Jeesh, I can't believe she's a Senju, I wonder if she even knows about it...

Guess I'm last, and I won't be surpassed ! My name is Robinson Ed, favorite color is red ! My dream is to become a world famous poet shinobi and find the perfect rhyme or I'll eat a lime !

*Just like last time, Bai and Nana put their hands up to their mouths and turned away from Ed*

Did I miss the joke again? I won't complain

This one sure is weird : Nice to meet you Ed ! Sounds like an interesting goal, even though I don't see how it will help you as a shinobi...

HAHAHHA !!

HAHHAHAH !!!

*Bai and Nana burst out laughing at Ed's rhyming once more. All Ari could to was slap her forehead and think of the trouble she was getting herself into*

And here I thought they were gonna be a normal group... *sigh*

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*The next few hours, into the dark of night, the team spent their time talking and getting to know each other better. They told stories of their days in the academy and begged Ari to tell them some of her adventures. A crescent moon glowed eerily in the sky above, marking a new beginning.*

[Dream Catcher]

Bai, wake up !!

Arghh.. I know !

*The mornings always made Bai a bit grumpy, but he had to do what he had to do. Going through the regular routine of washing his teeth and face, Bai was excited to finally start his training. He reminisced about last night, and the fun he had getting to know his teammates. Bai still thought that Ed was weird, but the determination the young poet to-be had in achieving his goals was astounding. In fact, even Nana was determined to become strong. Only Bai seemed to not have a goal, or at least not one he was so passionate about*

Wonton Soup ? You dummy !

*He ground his teeth against each other as toothpaste seeped out of his mouth*


*Breakfast was already on the table and the smell of freshly prepared food filled the kitchen, but Bai had no time to waste on small things such as eating. Grabbing a pancake in his hand, Bai bolted out of the house before his mom had time to say "Bye." The young genin went through the same routine of running under the stores' canopies and evading the angry shop keepers, out with their brooms. Dodging and weaving, he stuffed the pancake into his mouth and kept running*

Bai !!

*Nana's familiar voice rang clear in the open field as Bai's figure appeared from within the forest. Her hand was up in the air, as if reaching toward the sun. The smiling boy waved back as he swallowed the last piece of pancake he had in his mouth and wipe away the remains with his hand. Ed was sitting near Nana, but paid no role in the greeting process. Just lifting his hand in acknowledgment of the new arrival, he kept shuffling through his little pocket book, taking time to read each page carefully and thoroughly*

Gosh I'm so excited ! We finally start our training today, I can't wait ! Are you excited Bai??

Ahh, yeah I'm excited too...

*There was a sense of doubt in his voice, but Nana chose to ignore it and proceeded to yell loudly over his shoulder*

Sensei !!!

*She did the same waving motion as before. Bai put his hands up to his ears, to protect them from the girl's loud voice. He then, also, turned around and greeted Ari*

Glad to you you're all here, now let's not waste any time and get right to it. But before that, can anyone tell me about chakra?

Chakra? Isn't that what we use to make jutsu?

Nuh uh, chakra is our life force !

*The two looked at Ed, expecting him to answer, but he just brushed them off with his hand*

Well, you are both correct. Chakra is used for jutsus, Bai, but it is also our life force, Nana. Without getting into too much detail just yet, for one to be able to perform any type of jutsu, such as the Bunshin jutsu, there must be a balance of Mental and Physical chakra. In other words, your body and mind have to be working together. Now, all of you already know how to do this, seeing as you know the three basic jutsus, Henge, Kawamiri and Bunshin, but the higher rank the jutsu the more complex it is, thus more harmony has to exist between your body and mind....

But if we know how to perform jutsus already, why would we need to train ??

Hphmm.. I had a feeling you were going to ask that. Follow me *Ari led her students to a nearby tree. Signaling them to stop, she turned around and smiled kindly* Watch and see... *Suddenly Ari began walking toward the tree. The students looked at her with confusion, not knowing how this will help them learn about chakra. All of a sudden, their doubts momentarily went away, as Arizawa began casually walking up the tree !!

Wow sensei that's amazing !!

I wanna learn to do that !!

Hmm.. it's just tree walking, maybe she's hacking...

*Bai and Nana ignored Ed's wise-ass remark and starred at their sense in amazement. She did not seem to be done just yet. Continuing to walk up the tree trunk, she took a turn and began walking under a large branch, her hair being pulled down by gravity*

You see, chakra control is very important when it comes to the basic shinobi tasks. Tree walking, as this is called, is one of the elementary tasks shinobi need to learn. It does not require a lot of chakra once you get the hang of it, but trust me, it will drain you until you are able to master it.

*The children kept starring in amazement as Ari kept talking*

This is what we will be learning today. Basic chakra control and tree walking.

Yes !!

*Bai jumped with joy in his mind. Surely Nana and Ed were doing the same, or maybe just Nana. Ed acted like he knew everything, and maybe he did*

The basic of tree walking is channeling a constant flow of chakra into the soles of your feet. If the amount of chakra is constant and uninterrupted, your chakra acts like "glue," sticking to nearly every surface. Sure it sounds easy, but easier said than done right? HEHE

*Ari jumped down from the branch, landing softly on her feet. Instructing Nana and Ed to find a nearby tree, she asked Bai to stay for a moment*

Not so fast kid. Seems like you're quite the popular genin, someone has requested a sparring match against you. I think it will be good practice for you, so proceed to Arena 3

Waaaa?? Already ?! But I don't even know tree walking... Sensei !!!

It'll be fine, I did some research and this kid just graduated from the academy recently, so it shouldn't be much of a problem. Just remember, the body and mind have to work together, otherwise your chakra is as useful as a dull kunai... now get going, we'll be waiting for you here...

Hai ! What is she thinking ?! A fight already ? Gaara, I hope he's not too strong...

*Bai's back disappeared into the thick forest and the sun hid behind the tree tops*


OoC : Arena 3.. League match against Nanashi777

[i_feel_tiredsleepy]

Hey DC 2XP Training Approved

Um not much to say, sorry for this being late lol.

I felt that the narative had a light immature feel to it that fit the character and was very good. Often many members of the SoS write like their characters are in their early 20s :p. I could almost see this being written for young readers.

[Dream Catcher]

Chapter 1 (Part 2) - Field Day


SFX : Whistle blows...

*pant* *pant* What's *pant* wrong with me...

*Time itself seemed to slow down as Bai feel knees first on the hard ground. The chirping of the birds in the forest below, was nothing but a stretched out cry of pain. Their sweet songs now foretelling agony and death. Bai clutched to his left side, feeling a warm liquid soak his hands and seep freely through the gaps of his fingers*

*pant* Shit... *pant* I don't... *pant* want to

*All time now stopped. Leafs carried by the migrating wind froze in the thinning air. It was now becoming hard to breath, as Bai's inhaled deeply, gasping for the last bits of air. Sweat droplets accumulated on his face and stood still as if in their rightful place. The laws of nature had no reign in this still world. Lifting his head, Bai noticed a dark figure approaching him from afar. His eyes widened, his pulse increased, his heart beating faster and faster and faster*

*pant* NO !! *pant* STAY BACK !!

*He took pressure off his wound and whatever remaining blood there was, gushed out of the crevice in his flesh. The figure kept approaching him, Bai's words not reaching the ears of his admirer. Everything began to spin in a violent circle of blending and blurring. Trees mixed with the sky, the ground mixed with the sun; only the figure kept it's form, like a paper boat, hanging on in the eye of the storm*

*pant* Ahh.. *pant*

*Gathering any remaining strength he had, Bai stood up on his feet, only to find himself laying back against the ground; the world spinning before him*

I don't want to go...

*His eyes raced back and forth within the constraints of his eye sockets, like a madman struggling to free himself from his everlasting shackles of insanity. He had lost a lot of blood now. His body was beginning to turn cold, in the midst of this hot, sunny day. Suddenly his eyes stopped moving, focusing straight up toward the sky. His pupils shrunk, his body became still. A faint voice could be heard nearby as all light erased itself from Bai's vision*

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The next day
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SFX : Faint voices, becoming clearer and clearer...

I'm telling you, it was his RIGHT side ! Look...

*Bai felt a warm hand gently press against his chest. Only to have the blanket covering him suddenly yanked off his bandaged body*

Hey !

*A draft of cold air played tricks with his skin, sending a chill through his entire body. He quickly sprung up to catch the escaping tip of the blanket, but almost instantly fell back into bed and grabbed onto his wound. Apparently the kunai grazed his rib bones, and the bruises have not healed completely*

Bai !! You're up !!

*Nana's face appeared uncomfortably close over Bai's. He could feel the warm air from her breath splashing on his face. A bird chirped outside the window, and a dog barked off in the distance*

Where am I ?! *Bai exclaimed, pushing off Nana with his right hand.*
Why am I in my room? Why are you here? Why are YOU here?

*Bai was addressing Nana at first, but immediately addressed Ed and Azirawa as well, who were present in his room. Ari looked especially comfortable in the genin's bean bag chair, and Ed was standing by the window, flipping through his pocket book as usual*

Well, we are a team aren't we?

*Ari stood up from a chair in the far corner of the room and walked over to the bed Bai was laying in. Grabbing the blanket Nana had yanked off on her way, she spread it over Bai in an unnaturally motherly fashion*

From now on we look out after each other...

*She smiled gently, accompanied by a nod from Nana and a thumbs up from Ed*

Wow, I never expected them to be so nice to me... Heh, but why am I here... what happened to me? *He suddenly jerked in his bed, as a memory reappeared in his mind* DID I WIN ?!

Ye...

Yes you did Baiiii !!

*Wanting to be the bearer of good news, Nana cut off Ari as she put her hands on Bai's shoulders and pressed him into the pillow. A look of fear mixed with humor struck his face as he struggled to free himself from her clutches*

*groaning* Okay now... you can let go... haha

*Nana let go and went over to bother Ed for a bit, who was calmly enjoying some poetry*

She's quite hyper today...

Today?? Heh..

*Bai said in a mocking manner*

Hey I heard that !

*Nana yelled from nearby, but kept her focus on Ed*

Well, like she said, you won your fight. From what I heard, it was one heck of a fight too.

*Bai's face lit up at the sound of Ari's voice. The way she said it made it seem like an epic story of hero and villain, good and evil, and Bai was the hero! His look begged her to keep going*

Well, you beat him, I'm proud of you !

*She put her hand on his head and ruffled his greasy hair*

Ahh.. you need a shower !!

HAHAHA, that I do...

SFX : Door opening

*Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to see who entered Bai's room. A pretty woman walked into the room, a big smile on her face*

I see you're all better

*Bai's mom said softly and looked at Bai. Her many years of working in the hospital and serving in the front lines allowed her to see if the patient was okay, by just looking at them. And her son seemed as fine as she could imagine*

Why don't you all stay over for some tea, I'll put on a a hot batch right now..

Thank you Chi senpai, this would a great time to discuss some matters with team and maybe get some input from you as well..

*Arizawa bowed respectfully as Chi smiled and walked out of the room. Her footsteps could be heard descending the stairs and the sound of running water filled the quiet house*

[Dream Catcher]

Chi and her guests sat around a large oak table in the middle of the living room. A hot tea kettle stood idly on top, occasionally letting out a puff of vapor. Most of the tea cups were nearly empty, and relaxation took over the kids' bodies. The only cup that was still full was Chi's. Keeping her hands on the warm ceramic, she let the soothing vapors enter her nostrils and down into her lungs. Deep thought swam in her eyes, not noticeable to the young ones, for they still knew little about true self-reliance. Smiling almost automatically, Chi's mind was off in a distant place. A place of lies, a place of deceit, a place shrouded in half-truths and full out lies. She looked at her guests with an emptiness in her eyes, concentrating on them, but no concentration was evident in her serene gaze. Like the hot tea under her chin, trouble brewed itself in the boiling water of her consciousness.

"Chi-senpai, are you okay??"

"Huh...," Familiar faces came back into focus as the imminent whistle of the tea kettle stopped for a moment, "Yes I'm fine, my mind just drifted off a bit...," She said smiling, the emptiness in her eyes gone for the moment.

"Oh good. I was just telling the kids about a mission the Hokage assigned them. It's their first mission, so I was wondering if you could give them some pointers..." Ari sipped a bit of tea from her cup, and suddenly turning red as a slight "slurp" escaped her lips.

"This is indeed an important event. A shinobi's first mission is always very important. I remember my first mission, I had just graduated the academy..."

"Mom.." Bai cut off her from beginning the story, because he above all people knew they would spend the entire day here if she had had her way.

"... You're right, I'll save the story for another time," She smile again, "The most important thing about mission is teamwork. Individual efforts are always important, but it's the team effort that plays the important role in the success of the mission. That's the only advice I can give you, the rest will come with experience."

"Very wise words Chi-senpai. Did you guys get that ?"

"Yes Arizawa-san"

"Yes"

Ed just nodded in agreement and took another sip of the hot tea as Chi and Ari smiled at the youth before their eyes. Chi in particular was very proud of her son. She never had big expectations set for him, but having won his first fight, Chi could not help but feel proud and happy. After all, what parent wouldn't. Bai was her legacy, he was the living proof of her and her husband's greatness, he was her immortality.

The kids' laughter faded away as Chi found herself drifting in the depths of her mind once more. She did not like going there. It reminded her of the War, of the bloodshed, of the suffering. Lies and half-truths ran about like little demons, ready to stab you in the back when you least expect it. Like a never ending Titanomachy, her secrets and morals clashed in a battle to the end. Her secrets’ sharp teeth sinking deep into her very being, draining the limited energy she had left. Soon, her soul would be overfilled with the darkness brewing inside her mind. But there was no way she would let that happen.

“Mom !”

“Wha…” Chi’s face looked like she had just woken up.

“You really need to drink less tea, hahaha, we’re heading out. I’ll be back later”

“Okkay … have fun”

“Bye”

“Good-bye Chi senpai”

Nana, Ed and Arizawa thanked Chi for her hospitality and exited the house while Bai quickly helped put the cups in the sink and ran out after his team. The door slam shut and Chi collapsed onto the couch nearby. The emptiness of the house began to surround her.

[Dream Catcher]

All the shops lining the streets of Konoha had locked their doors and shut their windows. Noon had struck the usually busy village, as everyone was eating lunch in their houses or taking a well-deserved nap. The change in atmosphere was drastic, making the village look like a ghost town. An occasional traveler walked down the wide road, looking a bit lost and confused at the emptiness surrounding him. The more seasoned travelers were familiar with the inner workings of the village and were tucked away safely in their hotel or nearing the village’s main gate and making their exit. This one was definitely not from around here. Arizawa’s team strolled carelessly toward the confused man. They paid little attention to his mannerisms nor his looks. Different people always entered the village. Some were beaten off their path, other came to experience life in the great Leaf. Whoever they were, little attention was paid to them, at least by the shinobi going about their daily business.

Lowering his head to the ground, the trekker had little desire to ask his approaching shinobi for directions. His heavy black boots kicked up little clouds of dust and left heavy prints in the loose gravel as he slowly walked by the Team. Nana opened her mouth to say something to the man, only to have something sharp poke the side of her stomach and a chuckle escaped her mouth instead of legible words.

“Hey, where are we headed Arizawa-sensei,” Bai broke the long silence as the man took a turn down a nearby street the four had passed.

“Well, like I said, I have a mission for you three…”

“Alri…”

“BUT… before that , we have one more thing we need to take care of don’t we Bai”

“Huh? What do you mean??,” Bai asked with a confused look at his face.

“Hehehe…you really don’t know ?” Nana broke into the conversation, jumping at the chance to poke a little fun at her teammate.

“I still don’t get it…,”

“You need to learn tree walking, or else you’ll be left quacking,” Ed finally spoke up. He always seemed to get straight to the point, but put his personal twist on everything. Pushing his glasses up his nose to keep them from falling, he reached into his pocket and began flipping through it’s tattered pages. He stopped reading for a second, as 3 pairs of eyes watched him eagerly, expecting him to say something else, “Oh… that was it, I had to say only a bit.”

“Hahaha, Ed you’re one helluva guy you know that…,” Bai exclaimed euphorically and Ed nodded in agreement.

“So you see Bai, I don’t want you to start the mission without having at least tree walking down,” Arizawa continued where she began…, “While you were busy with your fight, Nana and Ed have already got tree walking down. They’re quite talented actually, Ed got it on his first try !!”

“Yeah good job Ed !!” Nana’s voice vibrated the nearby windows as she hopped over to the poet and began peeking over his shoulder at the book he was reading, “Oh rhymes again huh..”

“What, they already learned tree walking ?!” Bai sulked a bit at the news, but lifted his head almost instantly, “Guess I’ll have to learn it in a short amount of time too, now won’t I”

“Yes you will,” Arizawa lit up at Bai’s determination to learn the task at hand, “You still remember what I told you about chakra don’t you??” She asked him as he nodded back, already calculating scenarios in his mind. “Good, because we can start right now”

“Huh? Like right NOW, in the middle of the street. I thought it’s called tree walking because you walk on trees?”

“Trees, water, rock… it’s all the same Bai. Walking on un walkable surfaces is just a side effect of this training. The real purpose is to be able to control chakra and exert it at a constant rate and amount. Now let’s begin,” The team stopped in the middle of the empty street as Arizawa pointed to a flat wall being part of a building right in front of them, “Ed, would you be so kind as to show us how this is done…”

Ed nodded and cautiously closed his leather bound booklet, placing it in the safety of his back pocket. Without even blinking once, he dashes toward the wall. His speed caught Bai a bit off guard. He didn’t expect Ed to be this fast. The noon sun cast it’s bright rays on the building tops and un shaded streets as Ed stood stuck on the wall. His hands were crossed and his glasses sitting firmly on the bridge of his nose.

“Whoa, that’s awesome !” Bai said excitingly

“It sure is, now let’s see you try it…,” Arizawa motioned with her head in the direction of the wall.

“Okay, here goes…,”

Bai picked up a bit of speed as he launched toward the wall. Chakra began accumulating in his body as adrenaline pumped itself into his heart. A cool breeze swept his pants side to side and the bright sun baked his head.

“You can do it”

He thought to himself as he neared the wall faster than he had anticipated. The adrenaline rush must have given him a slight speed boost, but enough to throw off his timing and now he was on a direct crash with the wall. Quickly lifting up his left foot to plant it on the wall, he felt a light tingle on his sole as the chakra rushed to his feet.

“I did it !”

The confident genin yelled out as the world turned upside down and he was momentarily facing the sky. His moment of joy was short lived, as he found his head zooming back toward the wall. His left leg has lost it’s grip on the wall all Bai could think of was the bruise coming his way.

SFX : BAM !!

Bai’s surroundings swirled for a second as he face planted into the wall.

“BAI !!!” Nana and Arizawa quickly ran over to the twitching kid as Ed casually hopped down the wall and onto the ground.

“Bai are you okay??” Nana’s cold hands touched Bai’s head as he slowly came to, “Hahaha you idiot… what were you thinking.”

“Uu…ahhh…gehhhh…”

“Sounds like my dog, or my hog,”

“Uu…,” Bai kept twitching. His chest moving rapidly and his stomach contracting nonstop.

“Guess he needs a doctor, I’m only a proctor”

Bai began shaking ever harder when suddenly, “HAHAHHAHAHAHAAHHAHA,” a blast of air came rushing out of his mind as he burst out laughing.

“Bai you moron, I was worried !!” Nana let go of Bai and let his roll around on the floor, laughing like a maniac.

“What did I say, was it really that gay?”

“HAHAHAHAHAHAH !! MAKE IT STOP !!!” Bai kept rolling on the dirty ground, collecting dust like a picture frame.

“Wow,” was all Arizawa could say as the scene played out before here eyes, “I’m gunna need a break after this…”

[Dream Catcher]

After the group settled down and the laughter came down to a spontaneous chuckle here and there at the sight of Ed, Bai was ready for round two. His mind worked in a mysterious way, a way not even he himself could understand. Most of the stuff Ari told him flew out his mind the second after it entered his ears, but for some odd reason he could recall it, as though he knew it from the very beginning. His mind was this way ever since he could remember, but when de he actually remember, or did he remember at all? That was one topic Bai tried to steer clear of. No matter now interested he was in the workings of his inner mind, he thought that recalling everything is a good enough price to pay for not being able understand his own brain.

“Let’s do this !”

He shouted as he dashed toward the wall once again, only to stop in the middle of his gallop and jump up on his left foot. His right ankle had sent a pretty familiar signal to his brain, and pain spread throughout the affected area. Unfortunately for Bai, the affected area was virtually his entire body, aside from his left leg for some odd reason. He bit down on his bottom lip at the sensation of pain spreading across his body and not even a peep escaped his mouth. Deforming his face like a ball of play-doh, Bai hopped around the dusty ground for a few seconds, shaking off the pain. Laughter could be heard coming from all directions as his teammates couldn’t resist the opportunity to laugh at the clownish antics Bai was performing.

“Okay, okay, that’s enough guys…,” Arizawa cut in and silence swept the area, “Good, now Bai,” she turned to face him, and continue prudently, “Don’t pay attention to them, they are doing it so you will try harder.” She leaned in closer to his ear, her lips almost touching him, “In life, people will always do things like that to motivate you or to bring you down, lucky for you, your teammates are doing this to motivate you. When you have a task at hand, concentrate on that task and don’t let any distractions mess with your mind…”

Bai stood still, trying not to make any sudden movements and have his ear end up on his sensei’s mouth. Slowly nodding in agreement, he turned around to face the wall.

“You can do this Bai. Stop thinking about useless things. Who the heck thinks about wonton soup when you have an important task laid out in front of you,” He closed his eyes for a second as the voice inside him kept talking, “ Forget that sound exists in this world, forget the smell, the taste, the sight… concentrate on the task before you, don’t let anything distract you. Breathe slowly, but deeply… inhale…. Exhale….feel the chakra flow inside you, control it, don’t let it control you,” Bai felt his muscles relax and bit by bit, the distractions around him began to fade away into the background. “Visualize the chakra flowing through your body and into your feet,”

Bai exhaled slowly, his mind focusing more and more on the ever flowing chakra in his body. No one could actually see the chakra flowing in their bodies, but visualizing it left Bai with many options. At first, he tried to “see” the chakra as a river, flowing though his body. With turns and twists and loops, the “water” raged through his insides. No, no, that’s too violent. No one wants to go rafting inside his arms and legs. A raging river was definitely NOT the way to calm oneself. The sound of the wind and smell of a hearty meal in the window above began to disrupt Bai’s trance, but he quickly began to breathe slowly and deeply, trying to visualize his chakra flowing once again. This time he thought of a long string being pulled through his body, winding along the path of his chakra system.

“A string… come on Bai… you’re not a scarecrow.”

It was a good thing that Bai blocked out most of the noise from his mind, otherwise he would be hearing Nana’s grumbling stomach and Ed’s corny rhyming, which would undoubtedly distract him from the task at hand.

“The sun sure is hot today… AHHH !! FOCUS !! CHAKRA !!!”

His feet were getting sore from standing in the same position on the ground. He wiggled his toes and fingers to loosen up and get the blood flowing once more. Suddenly, something struck him as the blood rushed through his limbs.

“That’s it !” He screamed, startling the people around him, “ It’s just like pouring water on a paper towel…”

Bai closed his eyes again and shaking his limbs once again, to get the feel of blood flowing. Bit by bit, a picture of a pitcher drew itself in his mind. It contained some sort of glowing liquid in it. Underneath the pitcher was a large paper towel shaped like Bai !

“Nice and easy now…,” Bai said loudly enough to be heard by Nana, who got a confused look her face at the sight of Bai licking his lips as he said those words.

The pitcher tipped over and glowing liquid began to pour onto the paper towel, but then something happened, something that Bai predicted exactly! The towel began to absorb the liquid and diffuse it evenly throughout Bai’s “body.” Feeling the chakra diffusing through his body, Bai knew what he had to do next. Moving the pitcher over the paper body’s feet, Bai felt his own chakra begin to concentrate at his soles. Without opening his eyes, he dashed toward wall in front of him. Good thing he was already facing the wall, otherwise he would have randomly ran off down the street and left his teammates in the dust, literally. Bai tried to hold the pitcher steady, and pour a constant amount of liquid onto the paper. Finally opening his eyes, he found himself closer to the wall than he had anticipated and panic took the best of him. As he placed his left foot onto the fall and felt it “stick,” the pitcher tipped over and too much chakra poured into his feet. Placing his right foot on the wall, the “glue effect” was gone and he found himself laying on the ground once again.

“Almost had it…,” Bai spoke softly while gazing at the clear sky above him.

Moments later her felt three pairs of hands lift him off the ground and pat his back and shoulders, one hand even going as far as to pat his buttocks.

“Okay, who’s hand was that !!” Bai swiftly turned around to face his teammates. To his expectation, everyone pointed at each other, even Arizawa was feeling childish enough to point at both Ed and Nana. Bai scanned everyone’s faces with surgical precision, looking for signs that will give the assailant away. Nana’s blushing cheeks glowed beautifully in the afternoon sun, and after noticing, Bai disregarded the entire event from ever happening.

“Time for round two ! I’m gunna need more paper towels !!”



For the next hour, Bai practiced tipping the pitcher and trying to get that regular and constant flow. To his own amazement, his attempts at scaling the wall were not as consistent as he would have liked. On one attempt, he got three steps on the wall, while on the very next one he could not even make one step because Nana had distracted him. His mind was most likely the one to blame for this. He definitely had enough chakra and physical strength to pull off such a feat, but constant distractions proved to be quite bothersome. On one particular try, Nana yelled “Good luck” to Bai and it caused him to pour so much chakra into his feet that he was sent flying back a few feet!

“Ah, hah, ah, hah…,” Bai breathed heavily as he leaned forward and placed his hands on top of his knees for support, “This is freakin’ hard !”

“Hahah, well no one said it was easy…,” said Ari.

“Whaa?! YOU said that Ed did it on his first try…ah, hah, ah…”

“Ed is special Bai, he is just has great genes at his predisposition…”

“Great genes,” what was that supposed to mean. I have great genes! My parents fought in the War, they were hailed heroes. Dammit, I gotta catch my breath. HAH. I’ll show them that you don’t need anyone’s genes but your own! Ed thinks he is so great, hahaha, he doesn’t realize what a loser he is. He’s so proud of having his parent’s genes. He is nothing!! I’ll show him, I’ll show all of them, what real hard work is about!

The glowing pitcher began to tip over slightly, pouring a little bit of liquid onto the paper towel. Dust flew up high into the air as the sun’s rays shone irregularly through the thick cloud. As the dust slowly cleared, a person appeared in the frame of a window Bai was trying to scale.

“Hey kid, get off my wall!!” Yelled the angry tenant.

“My name’s not “Kid,” it’s Bai. Remember it!” Bai yelled back at the man, from his horizontal position on the wall. He had scaled up five or six steps, stopping near the balcony.

“Yay !! GOOD JOB BAI, YOU DID IT !!” Nana yelled out happily as Arizawa and Ed clapped.

“You b…,” Bai’s footing began to slip as the last of the glowing liquid dripped from the pitcher’s mouth, “Crap !”


OoC : Tree walking learned EH? Chakra pool increased Eh?? Chakra control improved Eh??

[i_feel_tiredsleepy]

As good as usual DC, 4 XP.

[Dream Catcher]

Chapter 1 (Part 3) - Take a dip

“Bai wake up…. Bai !”

“Huh ?” Bai slowly rose from his bed, “Mom?”

“Yes it’s mom, now get up, breakfast is ready” said Bai’s mom and exited the room.

Bai began to get up from his bed but instantly fell back on the striped sheets. His entire body was sore from hitting the ground so many times during his training. From his toes to the top of his head, the genin’s body screamed “No more!”, but a ninja doesn’t take breaks, unless of course they want to indulge themselves in the warm waters of the Hot Springs or treat their taste buds to a bowl of ramen at the famous Ramen Shop. Gathering his strength and moving very slowly and cautiously, Bai finally rose from his bed and sat up straight. Starring out the window, he realized that he was out for the entire afternoon and night, otherwise how could it be morning already. A soothing breeze entered the room and danced circles around his hair until dwindling into nothingness. The day’s clamor was just beginning to unfold, marking a very long but prosperous time for the shop keepers and the shoppers alike.

The daily routine of waking up, taking a shower and brushing one’s teeth had taken it’s toll Bai. Lately he was very bored with his monotonous way of doing things. He was like a clock, always running exactly the same day in and day out. He tried to block out the crazy ideas beginning to enter his mind the best he could, but one of those very ideas he tried to keep out seeped through the mental barrier. Bai quickly rinsed his teeth and put on his regular shinobi attire. Walking toward his room’s wooden door, he placed his hand on the knob, only to push the switch locking the door shut. Turning around he starred bravely at the open window across the room. “You can do this…” Bai thought to himself as he walked briskly toward the window and placed his foot on the frame. Leaning out into the street, the ground seemed to be farther down than the thrill-seeker remember it to be. Breathing in slowly and deeply once again, Bai imagined the pitcher and the liquid, just like he had the day before. Closing his eyes, he took a step out into the air, feeling his body tilt down toward the ground as gravity played its usual card. The rush of cold air smacked his still wet face and a few “Gasps” could be heard from the crowd below.

“What is that kid doing, such a reckless way to use his abilities…,” one woman said loudly enough for Bai to hear her.

“Yeah, he is disgracing the village with his antics,” said another old man in ragged clothes and a thick beard. Luckily, no one paid attention to him as he had the repertoire or being a crazy man.

Slowly opening his eyes, Bai’s legs trembled at the sight of hundreds of faces starring up at him. Not realizing what the crowd was starring at first, Bai noticed that he was now standing horizontally, and not leaning out of his window.

“Hey! I’m walking on the wall!! I’m walking on the wall!!” He began to do a dance, but quickly stopped after losing footing for a second and risking falling face down on the crowd below.

After a few seconds of standing on the wall, the crowd began to diffuse and Bai took that as a sign to climb down. Nearing the bottom, he lifted the pitcher and pushed off the wall, jumping down onto the ground below. Dusting himself he took a look at his house’s front door but swiftly turned around and began walking down the street. He was too excited to eat breakfast. Learning tree walking had proved to be quite a confidence booster and Bai was ready for more.

As he disappeared behind one a cart of one of the street vendors, Chi stepped away from the living room window and sat down next to her husband.

“He’s really excited about learning such a basic skill, I’m scared to think of what will happen if he actually learns a jutsu,” she said sarcastically and smiled.

“He better be excited, at an age like they need to be motivated somehow… me and you are old Chi, our way of thinking is becoming extinct…”

Chi nodded in agreement as the two drifted off into their own world, one full of customs and ideas not evident in today’s youth anymore.

[Dream Catcher]

"Take a Dip" Continuation - Hot Springs Fiasco (http://forum.narutochaos.com/showthread.php?p=682589#post682589)

[TheWhiteFang]

*A shadowy figure counted a large stack of bills before placing them in a bag, along with a scroll. The figure placed the bag along with a ornamental sword at the base of a tree. As the robed figure stood up his hood slid back slightly, revealing empty gray eyes that were set ablaze with the reflection of flames. As
he began walking down the street he couldn't help but take one last look back at the scene behind him. The house was still blazing with flames licking the sky over fifty feet up. A smile began to creep across his face as he let a few words leave his lips before disappearing into the crowd of people trying to get water to the flaming house.*

???: Welcome into the order.

[Dream Catcher]

Chapter 2 - My Star


Bright lightning flashed in the distance over the horizon, notifying any travelers of the approaching rain. Gloomy clouds had already began to form over the ninjas’ heads as a cold wind awoke from it’s sleep. The swaying trees danced back in forth to nature’s rhythm, the clouds moved slowly but steadily in the sky above, the forest animals hid in their burrows and nests and caves, preparing for the inevitable caroler of nature to come knocking at their doors. Rainfall was rarely seen in Konoha, and was seen as a bearer of bad news. It always brought grief and sorrow with it. It was there during Sarutobi sensei’s funeral, it was there during Jirayia sense’s funeral, and it is here now.

An eerie uneasiness haunted Bai as he walked briskly under the grey skies. His entire body felt cold although the weather was quite warm, his hands trembled although he just completed his first mission, his heart raced although his mind told him everything is fine. A single drop of rain fell from the sky above, marking the beginning of nature’s dance. Konoha was just a few bends up ahead and the entire team felt anxiously happy to return home, except Bai. A vanishing pillar of smoke rose above the forest outlining the Leaf Village. Team 13 had noticed it earlier, but disregarded it as being something irrelevant. Maybe it was some kids sending smoke signals to their friends, or the blacksmith was designing another one of his famous works, or the alchemist was toying around with chemicals and potions.

As the gang got closer and closer to the village walls, Bai became more and more uneasy. Like the calm before a storm, everything in the village seemed quiet, but the calm had long passed and voices shouting orders and voices taking orders began to be evident to the group.

“Hurry up and get the buckets!”

“Yes sir!”

“Notify the Hokage of this incident”

“Yes sir!”

Dropping the fake smile from his face, Bai dashed through the village gate and past one of the shinobi shouting orders.

“Hey kid, stop, you can’t go there!”

But all he could was watch as Bai ran past him at full speed. He knew something went wrong, even his mind was now telling him to run faster, breathe deeper and hope harder.

“What is going on here?” asked Arizawa as they ran past the same guard.

“The Hoyan house has burned down…” he replied, “You there, fill up those buckets!!”

“!!” the exclamations on their faces said it all. Arizawa suddenly disappeared in a flash, leaving only dust and scattered raindrops behind her.

“Hoyuan, that’s Bai’s name isn’t it?” Nana asked Ed. Her voice was trembling. All Ed had to do was nod in return and the two genin scurried after Bai and Arizawa.

A large crowd of people formed a circle around the burning house. The smoke had nearly dissipated into the rainy evening, leaving only destruction in it’s wake.

“What happened here?” a small boy asked his mom while tugging at her shirt.

“Don’t worry Maki, you just run home, it’s cold outside,” the mom said and watched her son run off, “Poor Chi, this is so horrible…” she continued to another female standing near by.

“Yeah, I heard their bodies were not found yet… Hey watch it kid!”

The woman suddenly stumbled as Bai pushed her aside in an attempt to get through the crowd. He overheard the conversation between the two women and his hands and feet became weak as he forced his way to the front. Tears began to flow down his cheeks and mix with the innocent raindrops caressing the burned out house.

“No, no, no no please noo…”

Bai’s heart began to race even faster, struggling to rip out of his chest and run as far away as possible. It could not bare this kid of sorrow, it could not keep beating under this kind of tension, but there was nowhere to go. It had to keep beating, it had to face the pain, the pressure, the stress. Never has it felt such weight being brought down on it. Coming close to death during that mountaintop battle seemed like child’s play compared to the burden it now had to bear.

Finally making it through the crowd, Bai stumbled into the middle of the circle. The people’s voices seemed to mock him, to mock his suffering, but he paid no attention to them. All his body could do was run toward the charred pieces of wood that were once his walls, his roof, his bed. The rain had extinguished the last of the spontaneous sparks trying to greedily feed on the remains of the disaster, and Bai was left standing in the middle of a smoky pile of burnt wood. Tears kept pouring down his face and his eye frantically looked for any signs of life and his ears listened for that familiar voice he suddenly yearned to hear. His mouth could not speak words, for no words could be spoken at such moments. There was no use to yell in anger, or to whimper in agony, his only outlet was the hope that They are still alive.

In a frantic move of desperation, Bai began moving the black piles of wood littering the scene. His mind was too shocked, it was too concerned to mind the burns the scorching wood had left on Bai’s palms. Piece after piece the logs feel to the ground and the sky kept crying for the genin.

“Bai!”

Arizawa had appeared in front of the thinning crowd and made her way toward the boy.

“Stay back!!” his voice sounded hoarse and threatening, hardly anything to intimidate the Jounin, but all Ed and Nana could do were edge behind the protection of their sensei.

The search for what he was looking for became hopeless as each raindrop hit the ground. Nothing even resembling Bai’s parents lay among the charred clothes and deformed pans. The genin fell to his knees, sobbing in a pool of his own tears and snot. How could this have happened, he was only gone one day. Just this morning his mom was standing over his bed telling him to wake up. There is only so much the mind can take, and even the most seasoned shinobi have their thresholds. Scrambling on the dirty floor was Bai’s mind’s way of coping with such heavy stress. His organs kept telling his to keep searching, they kept reassuring him that everything will be alright, but his gut feeling was contradicting everything his body and mind were telling him. They were gone. It was over. There was no hope. His swooping shoulders and hung head were enough to let Arizawa know that he now needed someone beside him. He felt her warm touch spread around his shoulder and her entire body press again his as she locked her hands around the boy. The warmth was familiar, even though it was from a different person, it was familiar.

“Come on Bai, let’s go…,” she began to stand up a bit but Bai’s body lay as still as a rock, “W….”

Before she could say another word, Bai’s head sprang up and breaking from Ari’s grasp he dove under a large log, pushing it aside with all his might. An unfamiliar scroll lay where his living room would originally be. Picking it up wit his trembling hands, he slowly unrolled it’s thick paper and began reading it’s contents, but before he could do that the large log was lifted out of place.

“Come on Bai, you have to get some rest…” Arizawa stood over him extending her hand.

Quickly rolling up the scroll, Bai allowed himself to be lifted off the ground as Nana and Ed joined them in exiting the horrible scene.

An experienced looking Jounin appeared in front of Arizawa and nodded as she whispered something to him.



Later that night Bai could not even think of sleeping. His mind was racing with thoughts and emotions and his heart, although much more content, was still pumping adrenaline through the boy’s blood. Sitting before an open window and starring at the clear night sky, the words of the scrolls kept playing over and over in his mind like a skipping CD.

“…an offer… an offer… an offer… an offer…”

Holding the scroll in his hand, a single tear drop smudged the perfect texture of the ink as Bai gazed upon the brightest star illuminating his path.

“I know what I have to do…”


"The guilty one is not he who commits the sin, but the one who causes the darkness."

[Dream Catcher]

The dawn of a new day had not brought relief to Bai's aching heart. Yesterday's turmoil had taken a big tole on his body and mind. He had never felt this way before, he didn't know what to do. Like a fish out of water, grasping for hope was his only way out of this torture. Life and death had no meaning to the mourning genin. The thought of his parents still being alive was reason enough to risk his own life in return for theirs. The words "an offer" still echoed clearly. Never letting up their persistent chanting, they fed off Bai's determination. The more he vowed to rescue his parents the louder the words became. They became second sight to the boy. He saw nothing but his parent's faces in this bloody shinobi world. He had just become a genin, but is already being exposed to the true nature of the great Villages and their bordering countries. This is a cursed life, a forsaken life. One cannot life free and happy in a world where carnage and bloodshed are etched into the children's minds. Their paths are already predestined for them, just like a wolf is destined to hunt the rabbit, these children are destined to sabotage and kill for the sake of their Village. But Bai hoped things would be different, he hoped that he could escape this destiny. Everyday he worked hard to do his best. He strove to surpass his parents in glory and fame, he wanted to become his own person not dependent on someone else's fortunes. Most of all, he wanted the strength to protect those close to him, not to kill those far from him. Unfortunately for Bai, destiny had caught up to him. He was now forced between the agonizing choice of going against everything he believed in order to save his parents, or sit still like a squealing dog and watch those close to him be taken away from him. His mind had already been made up the night before, and nothing on this planet could stop him from what he was about to do.

Arizawa had let him stay at her house for the night and was already gone by the time Bai woke up. Only a single note along with a backpack stood as still as ice next to his bed. Slowly opening the note Bai neutrally read the words before him

By the time you will be reading this I'll be gone. I have to run on some personal errands, sorry to leave you alone after what happened.

I have left you a small gift for the upcoming exams if you still wish to enter them.

Use them wisely.

Arizawa.

Bai picked up the backpack next to him and checked inside. Ten kunai, ten shuriken, ten feet of wire, twenty explosive notes and a scroll were neatly packed on the bottom the pack. Sliding the scroll into one of his pockets and filling up the rest of his pockets with the other equipment, Bai slid out the front door and disappeared.