Training and application of the mind(Natsume thread)

[Anastasia]

"Alright..." With that, she turns and poses, as if holding a bowstring back...

You concentrate...slowly. It's hard work, harder than even running or fighting is. A purely mental battle of the will against your limits and reality, fearsome foes indeed.

....

.....

............

Ah! Squinting past the brutually bright sunlight, you see... the weakest blue aura around Kurumi, flickering... You manage it for a few seconds, before you let loose a breath you weren't aware you were holding; the vision snapping apart. The impression was that it's not near as THERE was Grandfather's was, however.

[Midnight Sun]

'Kurumi's aura likely just isn't as strong as grandfather's, so its not as obvious,' she thinks as she stops to catch her breath. 'But at least I managed to see it again....though its uses to me are limited if I can't use it in the midst of battle.'

"Thank you Kurumi, you can stop now."

[Anastasia]

"Whew," Kurumi sighs, stretching out again. Taking a moment to fully work her stiff and sore musclature, "Did you find what you wanted, Natsume?"

[Midnight Sun]

"Somewhat...but not as quickly as I'd wanted," she answers. 'So depending on the strength of the person, it can be a low shimmer like Kurumi, or as bright as the sun like grandfather.'

Regardless of the strength of the aura, she had to be able to use the skill quickly and easily if she wanted to use it in a fight.

'Alot easier said than done, it requires almost as much concentration as the ki extensions I've been developing, though not nearly as much energy,' she thinks. 'I suppose it all goes hand in hand. When I master one I'll master the other, hopefully.'

"Kurumi, what else did  grandfather teach you about kyudo?"

[Anastasia]

"Mostly just the basics. I can shoot an arrow fairly well, but he's never taught me the sort of things you've seemed to have studied." Smiling a bit, "I guess I always wanted to cook and take care of the man of the house and the tomboy instead."

[Midnight Sun]

"Eheh, thats a full time job as it is," she laughs. "Well, I suppose thats it then."

The first part of practice was finished, now came the second...

'Grandfather moves too fast for me to compete normally, I have to somehow find a way to match him,' she thinks. "From this point on Kurumi, all you need to do is watch me."

There were two possible ways she could think of, one much harder to grasp then the other.

'Better to get the easier method over with, I'll try that first,' she thought she stared down at her legs. 'A grasp of one's ki can allow the person to do the impossible. Up to this point, I've only been focusing ki for use outside my body...'

As she rambles to herself, she focuses again. This time rather than her vision, she seeks to focus the majority of her ki to her legs.

'If I concentrate my energy to my legs and feet, I wonder what the reaction will be?'

[Anastasia]

Focusing intently on your desired action, you try and guide your ki into your legs.

Hm...

.....

A minute or so later, you note your legs are, if nothing else right away, are getting a bit warm. Your feet twitch...

[Midnight Sun]

'Hmmm, not much of a difference,' she thinks. 'Hm, better give it a small test...'

She takes a few practice hops before dashing forward...

[Anastasia]

Doing so...your legs burn slightly, but you swear you just moved far faster. Kurumi blinks, even as you wince at the hot sensation down there. It's like you just ran a few miles, by the way your limbs complain.

"Natsume," she says slowly, "THat was...what did you just do? Your legs glowed!" Kurumi's voice is with awe at this, staining her voice strongly.

[Midnight Sun]

"Ow ow OW!" Natsume cringed as she immediately went to work rubbing the numerous cramps that had just popped up out of both legs. "Who knew this kind of ki control would be so painful?!"

Upon hearing Kurumi's startled outburst she looks over to her.

"They were?" she asked. They had felt warm, and slightly tingly, but they were really glowing? "Kurumi, how fast was I moving to you?"

[Anastasia]

"Like two glowing sticks at Christmas time," she nods, in wonder. "You moved...it was strange. It was like one of those fast forward videos. A lot faster than you usually do."

[Midnight Sun]

"I was?" she asks with greater excitement...which quickly vanishes as the nagging pain in her legs return. "Obviously its not something I can keep up for very long."

She had been learning more about ki and its uses recently than she ever had been, but it seemed every new application she uncovered came with equal or greater amounts of difficulty. Whether it be physical strain, concentration, or both.

"I'm amazed grandfather can keep it up like he does, its like he doesn't try at all," Natsume sighs. "I guess the only to overcome it is with practice..."

[Anastasia]

"Grandfather can do that, too," she asks, curious at your revelation. "If he can....Natsume, why don't we get him to help you if it's hurting you? It's no good if you're beating yourself up even more doing this, especially if he can help."

Nodding, in full awareness of the likely first answer, "Because you look like you're really hurting."

[Midnight Sun]

"Yeah, that's probably the best way," Natsume agrees. "We should be resuming the training fairly soon, come to think of it."

[Anastasia]

Kurumi agrees, "Then, why don't we go have lunch before that? With what you're doing, you need to take better care of yourself."

Beginning to walk out, "Especially if you insist on going to fight like you do." Said softer, it still carries to your ears.