Fishy [D]:

I left the Kage tower, in the Administration District of the village. This was my first mission since graduation from the academy a few days ago. I hadn't received a sensei yet but I was told to expect to be contacted within the next few days to meet with one. I was happy to be expecting to be placed into a squad, because that would eventually lead to greater missions, and hopefully I would be taught a number of jutsu I hadn't even thought of before, and maybe even refine the few that I already knew of.

It was normal to expect multiple missions, especially D rank missions on a daily basis. Today, my first mission was to meet with a man whom would give me the details of the mission he requested. Chances are it would be a basic or nothing jutsu, as was told to us in the academy, but money was money, and we should treat these basic missions as a form of training. So that was how I was going to take it.

I looked at the paper in my hands with the address of the man's home that requested the mission. I continued walking down the sidewalk watching for the house number. As I got to his house I went down the paved walkway to his front door and knocked. The man rushed to the door opening it quickly looking around. He was in quite a panic, "Are you the only one! Well, hurry hurry. I need you to fetch my pet." He grabbed my hand and rushed passed me heading across the grass in his hard and down the road.

I was just about ready to tear the mans hand in half. It was fortunate for him that I didn't bring my container of sand with me today. I thought to myself, 'Remember, next time bring my gourd with me!' Though that would have been a bad thing certainly, to hurt the client.

The man pulled me to the side of a pond and started to look within the pond frantically. I just stood there and watched him run back and forth around the edges of the pond. After about 20 seconds of him running around like a mad man, he turned to me, a tear seeming to come forth and an angered expression on his face. He started to scream, "Why are you just standing their! Help me, please help me." I took a step forward, then asked, "What is it that you are looking for sir?"

The man stared blankly at me for a moment. "MY FISH! MY BEAUTIFUL AWARD WINNING GOLD FISH! WHAT DO YOU THINK I AM LOOKING FOR!" The man screamed senselessly at me.

Chances are, no other person, especially shinobi, would have taken that from the man. Well, he was the client. He must have felt very passionate about this...goldfish of his. A goldfish, really, an award winning goldfish.]

I accepted the premises of having to find a goldfish and walked to the side of the pond. The man continued to look quickly for the fish. I looked down and there it was. And another, and yet another. And another. This whole pond was full of goldfish...

I thought for a moment. Maybe, just maybe.."Sir, do you have a picture of your goldfish. It seems this pond is full of them." The man ran over to me, pulling a picture out as he came towards me, "Here, this is him." The gold fish looked like a goldfish alright. Though it was whiter in color, and had a black dot on it's forehead. So a whiteish and black dot on forehead was what I was to look for. That would make it easier, but not so much.

I circled along the edges of the pond, hoping I would see it. I knew better then that, but fortunately I did have the proper jutsu for this. I placed my foot onto the top of the water and then pushed off the ground, standing on top of the water. I walked around, searching for it, staring into the surface of the water below my feet. The gold fish swam beneath me, and a fish came up, circling my feet as the others went away from me. It was white in color, and had a black dot on it's forehead. This must have been the fish. I got onto my knee, the water drenching my knee as I held the other portion of my clothing above the water, trying to avoid getting to wet. I penetrated the surface of the water then grabbed the fist. I held it in my hand, just tightly enough to not injure it and walked over to the bowl that sat on the edge of the water and dropped it in.

I stood back up and looked at the man, who got on the ground and stared intently into the bowl with the fish.  I stood there for a moment, trying to ring the water out of the part of my clothing that got wet.  The man was down on the ground, walking like a crab around the bowl, as if trying to figure out how to get into the bowl to capture the fish for food.  After about a minuet, the man started to do baby talk to the fish within, "Whos my witty fishy.  Whos my witty goldy fishy."

It went on like that for about 3 minuets before the man got back up, picking the bowl up.  He turned to me, "Thank you for helping me find my goldfish miss."  He turned away from me and headed back towards his house.

Well, for my first mission that was a little anticlimactic and ended quite horribly boring.  But, a mission was a mission, and this one was a success.  I went back to my pocket and pulled out the two pieces of paper within.  I looked at them then crumpled one of them and tossed it onto the floor.  Then looked at the other sheet of paper.  I thought to myself as I looked upon it, 'This mission doesn't start till just before sunset.  So I have plenty of time.'  I was going to go home and get my gourd for sure this time.  I wasn't going to need it more then certainly, I mean, I wasn't going to go defeat a massive army after all, my next job was to babysit three children.  Though...perhaps I would need it.


I took my leisure getting home, I had plenty of time to kill till tonight.  It wasn't even close to midday.  Perhaps I could get some minor training in till tonight.

After getting home, I picked up a bite to eat, some fruit and toast with jam on it.  Good news was that the mission tonight would include dinner.  I sat at the dinner table and enjoyed my lunch / snack.  After that I grabbed my gourd of sand, wore it like a backpack and headed out to the training grounds.  


I got to the training grounds, of course people were always there training, though when midday crept around, it would loosen up a little.  I started with some basic training for the most part.  I did some physical work load, but that ended quickly.  I was not one for the physical arts. Far far from it.  I quickly changed over to something that I was skilled at, the ninjutsu arts.  I had many styles of ninjutsu I could practice, generalized ninjutsu, earth release ninjutsu, wind release ninjutsu, or wind release ninjutsu.  Oh, and of course my sand release ninjutsu.  I thought about what I needed to train most, and I decided to go with Earth release ninjutsu.  It was the most in tune with my sand release, and was something I had been meaning to try my hand at.

Earth release, it has plenty of attributes worth learning about.  The manipulation of the earth around me, along with creation of earth from me.  It was even useful in creating more sand for my sand release abilities.  It would be one of the man types of elemental releases I would need to know.  

I started my practice by pulling the sand out of my gourd.  Though this wasn't strictly earth based release, it was what allowed me to move my sand around.  I crowded the sand at my feet, letting it pour out of the gourd and wrap around my feet.  

Earth release was a well known style for shinobi in Iwagakure, after all it was in the Earth Country.  Though it wasn't a strict, must know style of course, as that is impossible to in force.  Elemental styles were partially genetic, and partially by chance.  Or was that genetic as well....I wasn't sure.  But anyways, it was a well known style in this village.  It seems most were earth release users.  I could be considered quite a skill Earth release user, given my sand release control, but to tell the truth, I wasn't actually that skilled with earth jutsu, not in the least bit.  I was behind others that were in the academy or just graduated.  Though the good portion of that news was, I was already slightly skilled in two other elements as well, Wind, and Water releases.  

I continued to have the sand swirl around me as it came out of the gourd.  I stretched the sand around me, having it go 5 meters around me outwards.  The sand shifted endlessly.  I was starting to get pretty good at my control over a large amount of sand, and a large area.  Though if I let the sand drift any further then 5 meters, my control decreased rapidly to nothing.

I didn't know any only earth release jutsu at this time, but there was one that I really really really wanted to learn.  It might seem basic, and it was.  The idea was to raise a wall of earth on front of yourself, for defensive purposes.  I wouldn't create the earth, instead I would break the earth in front of me and raise it up quickly in front of me.  It was a practical, and quick defensive form.  And what more, I would be able to break it apart of use with my sand jutsu.  It was a two for one deal.  

It was a basic jutsu, that just utilized chakra, and placed it into the earth in front of me.  I didn't even need any handseals to accomplish the task.  So, I got to it.  I stopped the sand around me from moving for a moment, after I cleared it away from in front of me.  I concentrated, breathing in deeply, then out.  Breath in deeply, then out.  In deeply, then out.  I concentrated my chakra to my hands, letting it gather.  I wasn't in a rush, and just concentrated on the task at hand.  The chakra slowly gathered, and moved around within my arms.  I knelt down slowly and placed my hands onto the surface before me.  The ground was warm, and I took in the feeling of it as the chakra stayed within my hands.  I then released it into the ground in front of me.  I swore I heard the ground crackle as I shifted my feet to make it a little more comfortable.  I released the chakra and the most probable thing happened.  It failed.  Nothing happened at all.  


1119 words towards Earth Release D>C

I continued my attempts at creating a slab or earth to break apart and rise before me, but it seemed that earth jutsu was a little more difficult then controlling my sand, to my dismay.  It was surprising, I was skill at the basics in the academy, and have always been able to control the sands around me, but to impose my chakra into the earth was an entirely different form for me.  Though I continued to try, concentrating the chakra into my hands, then placing them onto the ground before me, and releasing the chakra.  

I had discovered that the sound I had heard, of what I thought to be the earth breaking apart, was actually just the sand below my feet crackling. It had gotten my hopes up but by the fifth or sixth attempt I figured out that the sand was just moving, rubbing against the ground.  Around try twelve, I stopped and  walked over to the shade of a tree.  It was about midday now, and the sun shining down on top of me was starting to become a little uncomfortable.  I walked up to a tree nearby that had a little patch of grass and sat down against it, watching as others nearby trained.  I breathed in deeply and sighed, though I was enjoying my moment of rest.  

Today was rather calm actually.  It was sunny, yet not to hot, not to wet or dry either.  The wind blew softly, blowing my hair in front of my face.  I took my hand and parted my hair behind my ear and continued watching those before me.  After about 20 minuets of my enjoyable reprieve, and watching another group nearby, the people that were training left.  I could steal hear the commotion of others nearby, a few yells every so often riding along the cool breeze.


After another 10 minuets I got up, and walked back into the sun.  I let the sun shine onto my back and arms, as it warmed me up.  I was back on top of my pile of sand.  The sand shifted around me for moment then I parted it in front of me yet again.  I was going to get it this time, I would move the very foundations of the earth around me this time!



385 words for earth release D to C

I concentrated the chakra into the ground, holding fast as I expected the earth to rise in my defense.  I knew I would get the earth to move, I knew I was more then capable of doing this task of moving the earth before me.  As I sent the chakra into the earth at my hands and feet, I stayed crouched, waiting, expecting for the jutsu to work out...

After about 15 seconds I stood up, the sand around me swirled with anger around me as I lifted my hands into the air and crashed them towards the ground, slapping the earth with the sand, polishing the grass off the ground around me.  

Well, okay, I didn't really do that really.  I had an overwhelming urge though to rip into the earth and force it to bend to my will but I fought that off and instead just breathed in deeply then out.  I was a little disappointed in myself.  I really did expect to be able to accomplish the jutsu.  Perhaps I was doing something wrong, or was concentrating a little to much.  I walked back over to the tree and sat down, contemplating what had gone wrong, analyzing the situation.  I turned around back towards where I had been training and plopped myself down with my legs folded.  It actually caused a little bit of pain, the plopping.  

What had gone wrong?  I continued to think about the situation as the pain bothered me less and less.  I started to swirl my fingers around a little, picking up some sand near me and churning it in the air near my finger in the air.  A soft breeze blew and I breathed in deeply, taking in the smell of the grass and dirt behind me, and for some reason a little bit of smokiness.  'Someone must have been using some fire based jutsu behind me in the distance.  I continued though thinking about what went wrong, I concentrated the chakra into the part of my body, my hands, that I was going to release the jutsu from.  I was pretty sure I had the correct portions of chakra and such.. What was missing?  It was a brain teaser.  

It should have come to me with such ease.  But why didn't it?  Why?  Was it to advance a jutsu after all?  It seemed simple, it seemed like I should have gotten it?  I breathed in again as another breeze rolled by.  Then I sighed letting the air out.  'Maybe earth jutsu just wasn't my thing?'  I knew that my sand control utilized three elements.  Earth Release, which controlled my sands movements.  Water Release, which allowed control of water levels in the sand, to the point of being able to control the density, from free flowing grains, to clumped pieces.  Then there was Wind release, which helped harden the sand to the point of stone, and helped dry the sand.  

These were the tree elements of which I needed to master, and already had.  This was a step further then most other people in fact.  Some people in the same situation as myself, fresh genins that was, didn't even know of there first element, let along their second or third, and even forth.  Though I knew all of them already.  I was even already able to manipulate them, and it would seem, only to a certain extent...


570 towards Water Release D to C

What I needed to do was increase this extent of control of mine.  Though I was ahead in certain aspects, I was at an extreme disadvantage in the most general and important aspect.  I wasn't even able to control any  of these elements individually.  I couldn't do any earth release, wind release, or water release ninjutsu in any form at all.  It was a disgrace.  

I was a failure at earth release, so time to move onto water release.  Perhaps I would be slightly more proficient at this.  I went back to my sand that was on the ground, as I was walking to it, the sand rose and circled, coming to me.  The sand swarmed and massed like hundreds of bees, entering my gourd as if it were a hive.  I continued walking closer to it, and it grew in size as more and more of the sand wiped by me and crammed into the gourd, going into the two holes provided.

I continued walking passed my sand that swam in the air, heading towards the closest pond I knew of in the area.  Water release users, the best ones, could create water from their very bodies using chakra.  Though it was easier and less taxing, and easier to do greater jutsu with a water source already in existence to manipulate for ones jutsu.  And at this moment, I wasn't even capable of using a water jutsu, let alone attempt to create water from within.  So to the pond I was in search of.

I walked for about fifteen minuets and the pond was no insight.  I continued passed the craggy ground that surrounded it and jumped off a rock, landing just before it.  I gathered some sand from my gourd and had it circle my hand. I tossed the sand towards the water in a disk and it slammed into the water.  I tried to pull it out and after a moment, it slowly rose out of the water.  'Water, it may have been a part of my bloodline, but it was a partial weakness to it as well...'

354 to Water Release increase

I brought the sand back to my hand and concentrated, separating the water from the sand. I watched and concentrated as I removed the water from the sand, thinking of how I would need to be careful utilizing my sand around the moist stuff. Water release might be more of a danger then a savior if I wasn't careful. 'Though then again...'

I would have to remember that thought, the possibilities of the water and sand in the future, for now though, I would have to gain more capabilities in order to even have a need of doing such.

I separated the sand from the water, slowly though by separating it and allowing it to travel in the air freely, flowing and letting the sun and air dry it. It certainly was a danger at this time. The water evaporated in the air and I looked back at the enemy that was the pond before me, as my sand traveled through the air and back into my gourd. I corked the two entrances with sand corks by turning it into stone and then stepped onto the water. It rippled as I stepped onto it, shattering the beautiful azure blue and the few puffs of white from the view of the sky above, the ripples shining from the sunlight. That scene, the serene scene wouldn't be showing itself for the next few minuets.

I started to gather my chakra, watching the water ripple around me. If I could enhance those ripples, it would be quite the masterpiece. My mind was set on the task. I stood a top the water, my chakra being concentrated around me feet. The water around me gathered onto or rather, around my foot. The water was slowly becoming calm, not hinting to what was going to be unleashed next. Well..nothing was unleashed it so happened.. The water gathered then broke at my feet as I was about to release it forward, but instead just fell back into the water, causing a very mild wave that broke the choppiness into one.

I didn't waste time and gathered it again, though this time quicker, more water gathered and then I released it, into another mild wave. This was becoming quite the insult. I was zero for two now. Controlling the other elements that made up my sand manipulation was much more difficult then I had thought.

This time though, as for the earth, I wasn't going to give up. And I hadn't. I continued to try and try, and yet try again, still no results came to tuition. Monumental failure was occurring at this time, and slowly I was losing my cool. I stopped for a moment, and gathered my thoughts.

'What am I doing wrong? Why is this so difficult? I had the ability, at least I think I do? No, I know I do! I should be able to do this with some form. So what was going wrong?' I continued my thoughts as the water eventually came to a rest. 'My sand was controlled with such ease, I didn't even really have to think about it to much. But here, no matter how much thought I put into it, I just couldn't..' I stopped my thinking for a moment. Was that really my problem? I was thinking about it to much? Was the water really that different from my sand? I mean, I know I couldn't control it to such an extent, but it was something that came natural to me non the less. So perhaps it was much easier then I thought it to be.


576 words to Water Release D to C

36 words to C rank water jutsu.

I was still a top the pond, watching as the ripples died down, allowing the water to come to a mirror glaze yet again. All my attempts before to control the water fruited into a failure. Though I had a feeling that this time, it would blossom forth into a successful attempt. This time, I would master the water below me.

I gathered my chakra and without a second though released it into the water as it welled up around me feet. A small wave ran from my foot in all directions, just enough to break the surface of the water. I repeated it again quickly afterwards, the wave grew. This time I gathered more of the water using my chakra around my foot and sent another wave, directed forward this time. I had refined the direction of my chakra on the fly, and this had caused a wave to fly forward, creating a very minor, 3 inch wave. It was a start at least. I concentrated once more and sent another wave, this time it was more aligned forward and the wave grew to 5 inches.

I stopped for a moment, and thought about what I managed to pull off. I was controlling the water to a degree. Obviously not enough to use it as a weapon, but enough that it gave me a base to work off of. The wave went from all around me, to about 280 degrees around me, to 220 degrees around me at the end. If I could control it enough to a limited amount, perhaps the waves would grow higher and higher? It was worth attempting.

I continued my practice for some time. The sun was well passed the highest point, and was about two hours from setting. Though I wasn't paying much attention to the time. The sun was starting to cast long shadows onto the rocks near by, and hopefully my attention would be grabbed at some point, for I still had a job to do tonight.

337 words towards C rank jutsu.

(374)

I was moving at a faster pace, though still taking breaks after every 8 attempts now instead of four, I used the time between breaks to try and refine my chakra more and more, and to gather myself, as I was starting to grow tired.  I was expelling chakra with each of my attempts, trying to learn Water Release: Rising Slice.  I continued decreasing the arc or span of my attack, and each decrease increased the size of the wave, and the distance it would travel.  

A few attempts ago, I was at 280 degrees, and was creating waves 3 inches high, and stayed those three inches for about 2 feet before dieing out to a ripple, barely making it to the edge of the shore line.  By the end of that set, I managed to go to 220 degrees, and grew the waves to 5 inches tall, though still died out quickly.  It was progress non the less.  Practice would only increase the size as I went along.

My second and third round I went from 210 arc to about 180, with waves doubling in size, now crashing over the edge of the lake, then to 170 arc to 120, increase to 15 inch high waves now.  I was starting to get a better feel for it.  Each set consisted of 8 attempts, but it was still going fast.  I was making progress at a decent enough rate.

I took a break there for 5 minuets, going to the shore line and sitting on the rocks, basking in the sun.  My breathing was slightly heavy, but i had the urge to continue on, even though stopping here would have been much more favorable to my body.  The urge was great, my determination to complete this jutsu was overwhelming to say the least.  It was not that I needed to complete this jutsu, I must complete this jutsu.  That was the frame of mind I was in at that moment.  My breathing slowed some and I got back up and went back to the lake, stepping onto the surface again.

After my break, I then continued on to my forth set.  I continued decreasing the arc from 120 down to 80 on my eight try.  The waves now were 25 inches tall.  It was becoming more of a chore now to decrease the arc distance at this point.  To manipulate the shape of my chakra enough to decrease it wasn't an easy task to say the least.  But I persisted on.  The use of water release truly was difficult.  The sand was such an easily used element for me.  But compared to water, it was similar to lifting my finger as opposed to lifting a mountain.  Well, that might have been a little of an overestimation, but it truly felt that way as I went along.  

My fifth set I decreased the arc to 40 degrees, the waves now about 3 feet high, and the distance increased to the edges of the lake, and were starting to crash onto the rocks in front of me, about 10 meters away, and crashed into them with some violence.  I decided I would skip taking a break and just continue on, the adrenaline was fiercely pumping right now, it was driving me forward and helping me make huge strides in my attempts.

My next set, the sixth, I decreased the arc to 30 degrees, the waves now taller then me, and crashed with greater violence.  The decrease in the frontal wave took a nose dive at this stage.  It was increasingly difficult at this point forth to lower the arc of spread.  Each degree becoming that much more difficult.  I felt I could refine it even more so non the less, so I continued trying.

By the end of the Seventh set I got it to 20 degrees, the waves hurled over me at the very start, it was becoming a fearsome attack.  After the seventh set I took a 10 minuet break, the waters receded back to form the pond once again.  My eigth set I got it to 15 degrees, ninth set it was now down to 9 degrees or so.  The wave 2 meters tall.  The tenth set I got it to 5 degrees, The waves about 2.5 meters tall, and I swear I heard the rocks starting to crack as I rested.  On the eleventh set of attempts, I managed to refine my chakra, once, only once, to the point of 1 degree, forming a 3/4 inch thick slice that ripped through the rocks in front of me, breaking the large rock before me, forming a large 4 meter tall crack straight down it.  On the next two though, it fluctuated to below that.  I reached my limit it seemed.

Though the jusu was pretty much at what it was that I wanted, what I was searching for. It had a devastating affects on the rocks before me, so I was proud of my accomplishment, I learned my first water release ninjutsu. A smile crept onto my face, mixed in with the heavy breathing from all the work I put into it.

866 for jutsu

Mission name: Ninja-nanny
Mission rank: D
Objective: Act as a babysitter for triplets whilst their parents are out of town for the night.
Location: Iwagakure
Reward: 70 Ryo
Mission description: Wanted: Babysitter for three kids for the night. Please have previous experience, be nice with kids and not be a smoker. There will be payment for this, thanks.
Mission details: Minimum of 600 words, if you let the kids get hurt you’ll not get paid.

I breathed in deeply, multiple times, huffing, puffing, gasping for air. I was at my limit, and I looked around me. The waters receded and I watched as the pond grew still. I looked at the pond below me as I breathed, trying to calm myself. Partially excited about my accomplishment, partially exhausted from all my attempts. I was now concentrating just to stay a float on the water, I could feel the chakra slowly vanishing from my feet. I walked towards the edge, looking down at the pond, seeing the lights of the setting sun and then looked up startled. It was a little more than 1 hour till nightfall, I would now have to rush to change, then to my next mission site. I had lost track of time, and I might be in for it if I didn't rush.

I ran through the village as fast as possible, going to my home first for a change of clothing. It wouldn't be very commendable to show up to my next mission sweaty and dirty. Fortunately when I got home I found out I had about 45 minuets to show up.

So I took a relaxing bath, and I was in great need of it. Having been soaked, and running through the training grounds, along with the earlier training and the run through he city caused my clothing to become slightly black. Along with the massive amount of chakra usage, combined with my nice run through the village had it's toll. I would have been thrilled, my body would have been plenty accepting of just ending my day there, and resting, though I still had business to take care of. Though tonight, I would sleep well.

I left my house with about 10 minuets to get to the location of my next mission. I was to report to the home of a shinobi whom was slightly well known, and of the rank Jounin. He had recently come back from a mission and asked for some time off. He must have had a friend in a high place, because a mission was given for him to have a night off with his wife. My job, was to babysit his three kids. I laughed at my next thought, 'The man didn't need a night off, he had 3 kids already, did he need to go for a forth?'

400 towards mission.

I arrived at the home of the Jounin with about 2 minuets to spare.  I stood outside his house though for those 2 minuets to catch my breath.  The idea was much easier then to accomplish.  Just before the two minuets were up I went for the door, still breathing slightly hard.  I knocked on the door and after a moment the man showed up to the door.  "Yes, hello.  How may I help you?"  I looked upwards at him and responded, trying to keep my breathing under control. "I am reporting in for a mission for you sir.  I was asked to.."  I thought for a second then responded, "To guard you house while you are gone."  The man looked at me with a slight twitch in his lips, leaning towards a smile then laughing, "Very imaginative kid.  I have been expecting you.  Come in please."  He opened the door wider and I passed by him as he held it open for me then closing it behind me.

I looked at me for a moment, then thought to himself.  "You are a little young for this, but it...should be alright.  I think you can manage to survive the night."  I heard screaming in the background shortly after he said that and his kids ran in.  Two boys and a girl ran past us and then into another room.

The night mostly went favorable, at least after an hour the two left the house.  The kids asked to play ninja with me, they were both just about my age, the daughter a little younger.  Then at some point they settled down and started telling me stories about there father, while we ate dinner then went to bed shortly after.  They both, the husband, the jounin, and the wife came back 4 hours later and I left.  My mission went pretty well, especially after the first hour...

[left]

317 words to mission