Drift Fleet: IC Inbox

[everydayhero]

[A catch-all for privately contacting Hiro outside of posts on the network.]

Comments

[ino]

Mm-hmm.

[ He'll feel the tingling gather to the middle of his chest, and then move back and forth -- up and down his arms and between his hands in a slow, rhythmic motion ]

Chakra has its own system, not unlike your veins, where it chooses to flow naturally. Eventually, the goal is to be able to "feel" where that is and be able to concentrate it at will to a certain place.

[everydayhero]

[He nods, shallowly.]

... Why is it harder for you to learn the older you get? This is always here, right?

[As always, his mind takes over where it should be calm.]

[ino]

[ Boy, you are gonna have a hard time doing your ninja homework if you can't clear your mind a little bit. ]

It's there, but -- asleep, for most. [ She pauses, before jabbing him lightly in the chest. Now, there's a new, slightly different sensation -- his own energy! ] If you don't start learning while you're small, it's not nearly as natural ... and more often than not, it becomes more and more difficult to "wake up" as time goes on without using it. In the case of shinobi, it's important that we're able to use it just as easily as we breathe, so we can react instinctively in a fight.

[everydayhero]

[Clearing his mind is going to be one of the hardest parts for him to learn.

[This new sensation is... not as powerful. But it's there, he can feel it.]

I can feel it... This is so cool.

[He's grinning ear to ear, trying not to giggle like an idiot. It's only half working.]

[ino]

[ She moves his back and forth, now, in the same motion as before. It's a good thing his eyes are closed, because GOD DAMN IT HE'S SO ADORABLE SHE CAN'T HELP BUT HAVE A BIG GRIN ON HER FACE TOO. ]

I want you to concentrate on this feeling, okay? Try to memorize how it feels when it moves.

[everydayhero]

[He nods, and... well, he can't help it. He tries to move it, maybe send a wave of it down his arms. That's part of him, he can do whatever he wants with it, right??? Right. That's what he thinks, anyway.]

[ino]

[ Well, it's enough of an effort for her to notice that he's trying! And hey, she's pretty impressed. But she'll tease: ]

Now, don't go getting ahead of yourself.

[everydayhero]

[He smirks a little.]

But I did it.

[You felt that.]

[ino]

You did. This might be easier for you than I thought.

[ She'll take her hand away, leaving his energy for him to move all by himself ]

Try again?

[everydayhero]

[It takes another deep breath for him to concentrate, trying to pool that energy at his hands. It's not very precise at all, but there is a bit of concentration at them.]

[ino]

Not bad ...

[ No, seriously, not bad at all. But the combo of still a kid + genius probably helps a lot. ]

You've really got a knack for this. [ Ruffles his hair. ]

[everydayhero]

[He opens his eyes and the concentration breaks. The feeling fades slowly, in waves like it came.]

Yeah, you think so?

[He is way too excited about this. He just got told he has a knack for ninja stuff.]

[ino]

Yes, but -- you've really got to work on your focus. I think I'm going to have to assign you some homework.

[everydayhero]

Oh, thank god.

[SOMETHING TO DO. CHRIST.]

[ino]

[ That gets a laugh ]

I don't think I've ever heard a kid excited to have homework.

[everydayhero]

I get bored, alright? These projects aren't gonna last me forever.

[ino]

Alright, here's what I want you to do.

At least twice a day -- I'd say the best time is when you wake up and when you're about to go to bed -- I want you to close your eyes and meditate for at least fifteen minutes. Don't think about anything else, except for your chakra, and moving it around in that same back and forth movement that I was doing before.

[everydayhero]

[Nodding!!]

Alright, I can do that.

[I'll do it after talking to tadashi, that is, on both counts. At least until he's moved on-deck.

[for real he looks so fuckin proud of himself]

[ino]

Good! Once you're able to concentrate better, you'll be able to evenly create a surface with it. Then you can do stuff like jump, walk on the wall or ceiling, walk on water -- though that last one is much more difficult.

[everydayhero]

[you realize that means he's going to try it early]

Walk on the ceiling?

[this face just screams "i am going to get a concussion"]

[ino]

Oh, yeah. Like this!

[ She hops up into the chair, does an effortless flip, and attaches herself to the ceiling. Glances back down at him ]

Any surface, really.

1/3

[everydayhero]

[everydayhero]

[everydayhero]

That is so cool!!

[INO. YOU ARE BLOWING THIS CHILD'S MIND.]

[ino]

[ she bends backwards, placing her hands on the surface, letting her feet drop and hanging by her hands ]

This is easy 'cause it's solid, though.

[ She drops back into the chair, cross-legged, like she never got up ]