Shirayuri arrived at the wet grasslands training field quite early in the morning. The mist was light but still clouded some of her vision. She had woken up extra early so that she could train with none other than the Mizukage herself. While she normally wore gothic dresses, today she was dressed like a complete shinobi. With simple dark camo pants and black top that stopped at her midriff. The bangs she normally kept around her face were tied back as was the rest of her hair. She didn't want anything getting in the way of this training session. Shirayuri had already dedicated the earlier part of her morning to prayer and meditation so now she would do some quick warm ups while she waited for her Kage to arrive. The privileged of being trained by the leader of the entire village was not something she took lightly and so to get the blood flowing Shirayuri started a few laps around the grassy area.

The training had long begun,

Since the word left Ayakashi's mouth that she would accept Shirayuri as a pupil the Mizukage had been trailing the young priestess silently from a distance, watching, thinking and waiting for the opportunity to begin her first lesson. Aya, had half a mind to stage an attack on her home while she was sleeping, but such may have been a tad much for a Genin, being fully absorbed into this twenty four seven regime that Ayakashi had planned. For now however, Ayakashi hid in one of the many trees surrounding the grassy field, her, her Tiger hanging nearby behind the tree, mumbling something to himself about this being a tad much for a Genin to be able to deal with. Bai was much kinder than the Mizukage in some respects, but far more animalistic in others, when it came to children and youth, Bai had a soft spot, but when it came to justice, Bai was merciless, in a form of odd juxtaposition... though Aya could make sense of his paternal instincts to keep the younger generation safe... it was nature after all.

Aya simply shook her head, the tip of her arrow pointed in the direction of her Genin, who had better be paying attention to their surroundings as Ayakashi poked the pointless steel rod into the sunlight that penetrated through the canopy, a slight sign of Ayakashi being there, she was trying to get caught by the Genin as she aimed up her sniper like shot on the female running circles around the track. Pulling the full length of her bow to her ear, natural for a long-bowman, Ayakashi would let out a heavy breath as her arrow pointed directly for the chest of the Genin she would normally have trained. The arrow, should it connect with its target directly, would hit hard enough to knock the girl to the ground with a really nasty bruise where the bolt impacted. In future, lethal threats during training would become more and more common, but not while the Genin likely had no idea that this would be the kind of training that occured.

There would be a solemn gust of wind, and the Mizukage would count to five...

With a subtle 'thumphf' the bolt left the string and flew on a perfect interception course with the Genin from the tree. Ayakashi was almost certain the arrow would meet its mark, but should it miss, Aya would not allow simply one to be fired, taking aim with four more they would fly in staccato to catch the path of the Genin, as an attacker would most definitely not relent after a single shot. After the Volley, or, after a single arrow met its mark, the mizukage would fall from the tree and enter the light of day, making herself known with an extended steel longbow in her hands. Her face lifted into a smirk as she would approach.

"Lesson one, training with me does not begin or end, you are always at risk, and lessons can come at any time and in any means, this is to increase your awareness and your ability to react quickly to advanced situations... It may sound harsh, and that is likely because it is. But you'll thank me for it one day...

So, first on the list, orientation, I need to know everything about you, and where you stand before I can train you, teaching you advanced techniques or abilities while you are a beginner is not only a waste of time, but also dangerous. So... Tell me about you..."

Shirayuri hummed a hymn to herself silently as she jogged around the track. The cool misty air felt great on her skin and she was excited to begin training with the Mizukage. She had no idea she was being watched until she saw the gleam from the arrow aimed at her. Shirayuri wasn't sure what it was but a feeling of dread rose in her stomach. Just as she was able to discern what the object was the arrow was loosed giving her very little time to dodge. Out of sheer instinct she had ceased jogging and threw her momentum to the side in a bid of desperation. The arrow narrowly missed her chest and zoomed past her leaving her wide open for the volley that would follow. Shirayrui had barely dodged the first but would soon learn a punishing lesson as several arrows would strike her chest, leg, shoulder, and breast with sufficient force to knock her down and leave her mewling in pain. Shirayuri wasn't sure who had attacked her but whoever did it obviously didn't have any intent to kill as had the points been sharpened she would have died just like that. The adrenaline was pumping and the kunoichi scrambled to her knees and looked around. She then laid eyes on the person who assualted her.

It was the Mizukage.

Ayakashi had jumped from the tree holding a longbow. The genin fought through the pain to listen to her new sense's explanation. Apparently, she should now expect to be attacked at a moment's notice. It was a high level training exercise designed to sharpen her reaction time. The Priestess nodded and slowly rose to her feet. She didn't dare complain as this truly was a unique opportunity. She had expected to work hard as the Mizukage's pupil but nothing quite like this.

"Yes Sensei"

""I specialize in Genjutsu mainly but I'm also proficient in Ninjutsu. My elements are Water and Fire. I'm also working on mastering Boil Release" Ayakashi probably expected her to have a handle on the fearsome abilities of the Osada but Shirayuri was still unsure about her ability to pull off such techniques. Partially because they were advanced but also partially because they could severely damage an enemy and Shirayuri was averse to disfiguring and permanently crippling her opponents. She went on to give a more detailed description of her fighting style:

""I'm quick on my feet...or I think so at least" as she remembered the fact that she was just annihilated by a series of arrows. "I prefer to fight long distance with an emphasis on subduing an opponent with Genjutsu. Neutralizing the threat with as little direct and lethal force as possible"

It was the only response she could give. Mizukage Ayakashi went on to ask her about her battle orientation. She wanted to know everything so she could get a complete and accurate idea of what she would be working with.

"Hmmm, Genjutsu eh...?"

Aya said with a thoughtful look on her face, she was not familiar with genjutsu, nor did she really work with enough users of Genjutsu to see how it really worked, Aya wanted to know more, she wanted to know how the specialization worked so that she could better work with her student... Aya was not the kind to have a technique which would allow her to see chakra, but rather she often relied on her own sage mode sensory to be able to feel the nature chakra which ambiently lay within the chakra of all things. It wasn't too accurate, but, it was something that she was able to use to analyze something. Ayakashi pulled out a saucer, filling it with water from a container and balancing it on her own head. Doing so slowly so that not a single drop of the serene water would spill from its concave bowl.

"You find travelling that every nation has a variant of this test, often given to genin at the beginning of training, be they bells, or ribbons, or simply attempting to land a hit on the trainer. This is a way to best gauge the skills of the student compared to those of the teacher... But this one, which I've done a few times now has a bit of a story behind it... Have you heard of the Kappa? To clarify in case you hadn't they're a bizarre creature of myth that is said to live in the rivers of Kirigakure. Legend says that should a Kappa wish to devour you, to save yourself you would engrave your name upon the flesh of a cucumber and let it float in the river. The Kappa would take the cucumber as sacrifice and spare the life of the person... Interesting, no?  "

Ayakashi would pause for a little while as she would begin to almost dance, moving slowly from side to side before spinning and orienting herself with the basin. Simply practicing her movement for what was to come while simultaneously allowing her words to sink in before she began on the relevant part of the information. Aya's movements were slow, but even with her slow and simple movements, she moved with all the grace and beauty of a swan as she stepped with pointed toes and keeping open palms much like she was performing simple acts of tai-chi.

"Though, for those poor unfortunate souls caught by surprise and had to face down the horrible beast as it bore its fangs and horrifying claws as well as its hard shell, immune to man-made blades. They would have to defeat one of the most dangerous spirits known to the country... and there was only one way to do it... Kappa, upon their head have a bowl filled with the water of their river, allowing them to live on land. Warriors would have to spill the water from the bowl, doing so would turn the spirit to stone. This test, places me in the position of the kappa, and you, the warrior fighting for their life. To win, you need but spill the water from my bowl, be warned, I am able to move it, hide it, but anything i do, should the water spill from it, you pass. You, unlike myself, have no rules. So... when we're ready, we should begin, I'd like to see these genjutsu of yours... Any questions?"

Ayakashi would at that, enter sage mode, blue lines would wrap around her face in long elegant patterns which would race across her body, aya's senses would expand over a quarter kilometer in every direction as she could sense every piece of chakra, every single facet of life, every blade of grass, insect, person and being within the radius was known to Ayakashi's senses, but her focus was on her student, Aya wanted to know everything about her as she fought and attempted to succeed in this seemingly impossible task. Placing one hand behind her back and the other out in front of her with an open palm facing shirayuri. Aya was ready to begin ...

Jutsu:

[1300 words]

[training Bai hu D-C 1300/1250]

[inactive thread

Aya Exits.]