Post by Saito Kito on Jul 26, 2014 11:15:56 GMT -5
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Off road the Harley was rather effective. Although he couldn't move as fast as he could actually run, it was much less tiring this way, and on top of that he had heard that this particular teacher was not going to take it easy on him. Not that Kit would have wanted it that way. If he wanted to go back to relaxed training he would search out his father once more. The man likely hadn't moved from his spot in the compound. Kit hadn't looked back even once, and he sure as hell wasn't going to now. His black sleeveless gi had allowed for a nice tan to form over his arms. He had been traveling for the better half of the day, and true to the animals perception he had been forced deep into the forest. There had been a few times that day he had to stop and ask directions, and it was no easy task to extract information from a rodent or blue jay. They spoke way too fast and in mannerisms that Kit simply couldn't understand. He knew however as the site of a tall white tower came into view that he was in the right place. He had traveled the entire day and now as the sun was finally beginning to fall over the tree line he could place his sights on his destination. The bike slowed to a stop, his long blonde hair falling to the sides of his face. Saito brushed the stray hairs out of his face and looked around the sparse growth around the tower. It was as if the grass refused to grow past a few inches surrounding the tower, and the tree's had also stayed away. It appeared to be natural, but Kit couldn't understand how the plants knew not to grow next to the tower. It was mind boggling.
"So where too now..."
He spoke under his breath, getting off of the motorcycle and looking around the area. There was nothing here but the tower, and because the tower didn't have a ladder it clearly was not the access point of this instructor. Kit paced back and forth, scanning the area thoroughly and waiting for an animal to show up. At the very least he could ask directions once again. It was interesting the way Saito spoke to other creatures. They never spoke back in english, and yet Kit knew they understood him and somehow was able to intelligibly recognize what their response was. It wasn't long before the forest brought him what he was looking for. A small deer had come into view. Kit took a few steps forward and the mammal froze, its body stiff with fear. Saito had to remember that not all creatures were instantly comfortable with him, he had to show the young creature that he not only understood him, but was not there to harm him. So he spoke calmly, his inflection friendly.
"Friend, I am looking for a powerful teacher, one said to preside here in the forest. I had thought this to be the spot, but I don't know where to go, can you help me?"
The deer's head cocked to the side, its right ear twitching for a moment, almost as if it were considering what Kit had just said. This was where the true extent of Kit's natural abilities came into play. It was not his words that the animal heard and understood, but his aura. Kit was glowing in a feint Ki aura that only the animals were able to perceive. It was the same aura all humans put off. Animals were able to sense fear, resentment, anxiety, and of course the aura Kit was emitting, kindness. It had nothing to do with his words, but rather his intentions, and so the deer took a few steps forward, and then much to Kit's surprise looked up at the tower. Confused, he walked over to the white pillar and put his hand on it. The deer continued to look up, and the communication revealed that the friendly animal was telling him exactly where to go. The teacher was located at the top of this tower.
After another close inspection it was clear that although up was his only option there was nothing to support him. No rope or ladder for him to grab hold of. No elevators, escalators, or even decent foot holds. The tower had markings around its marbling features, this meant that he couldn’t grip at much. Every three feet another ring wrapped outwardly around the tower, and that would be the only thing Kit had to grip onto. His body tensed as he continued to look skyward, trying to find some semblance of a finish line. He was more than a little impressed with the fact that he had never seen the tower before even though it was probably visible from miles in any direction. The white marble appeared almost invisible from a distance. Both fists pulled together tightly and cracked the loose bones in his hand. He did the same with his neck turning it from side to side until the cracking subsided. The task was daunting, but not impossible, he wouldn’t accept defeat here. Especially not to an object that couldn’t even draw breath.
Putting one hand on top of the six foot ring, and other on the adjacent side he pulled himself up onto the three foot ring. It seemed easy enough. Slowly he moved up the tower, three feet at a time. His body hadn’t faced any legitimate trouble until he hit the tree line. The wind finally from free of the territory and began to blow gently against Kit. Its comfortable sensation actually brought to light the stress his muscles were under. Every muscle in his body was working overtime. His biceps had grown considerably making Kit feel validated in his decision to wear the sleeveless Gi. His chest however seemed to be begging for release, and so as quickly as he could manage Kit let go of the tower with one hand, and used that hand to undo the buttons of his tucked in shirt. The Gi would fall to the sides of his legs, staying tucked into his pants to prevent it from falling entirely. Saito had made a terrible mistake however as his grip was not tight enough to stay attached to the tower. Slipping, he found his other arm giving way and his feet losing their stable footing. For a split second his entire world seemed to freeze, a pit in his stomach growing as the sensation of falling caught his mind. Reaching out quickly he was able to catch another rim, having only fallen a few feet. His fingers burned as he pulled his entire body back up and onto the tower. Clearly he needed to be more careful.
The further he got up the tower the less smooth it became. Now the rings were getting thicker, and the patterns more specific. Some appeared to be skulls while others primitive carvings of local animals. Another bead of sweat fell from across Saito’s eyebrow and onto his bared chest. The sun was brutal, as he was now trapped in the perfect mixture of a cold wind and a blearing hot sun. He could feel the irritation in his skin as a sunburn began to trace over his shoulders and across the small of his back. If a little sun burn was enough to keep him from the top of the tower then the trip wouldn’t be worth it. He trudged on, one hand rising followed by another. Still there was no end in sight and now the sun was finally falling. He had started the trek during the sunset but being so high in the sky allowed the burning orange ball to stay over the horizon for even longer. Nightfall would be short lived as well. Kit had trained all through the night before so this wasn’t going to be a problem. If anything it gave his skin a rest from the sunlight. The problem now was with his weights. It occurred to him that taking those off might have been a better choice, but he was no where near ready to remove his hand again in any sort of attempt. Kit was a brave man, but even he was beginning to lose his calm demeanor. He knew if he looked down the entire world would stare back up at him. Pulling himself another few feet upward he found himself stuck in a cloud, a sensation he had never felt before. The cool mist was soothing, and then cold to the night air. Shaking slightly at the bitter freeze that was now taking place he wondered just how a hot summer day could turn into a frozen night. Then again at his altitude he was likely as high up as Mt. Paozu could have taken him. He had trekked to the top of that mountain before, but never in a day, and never in such dangerous conditions. His arm weights were the most distracting. His leg weights were hardly noticeable as his legs pulled upwards and gave his body the support it needed to climb. Meanwhile his arms felt like jelly, and yet still no end in sight.
That was when his arms finally gave way. Perhaps if Kit had not been wearing his weights, he could have been more successful in climbing the bastard tower, but with them on his arms simply weren’t strong enough. Both arms detached from the tower and again Kit felt the utter realization of failure in his chest. Though that guilty conscience was the least of his worries. Falling down the tower would most certainly mean falling to his death. He was so high up he couldn’t make out the ground, and yet still not high enough to see the towers base.
“Not like this!”
Elongating the I his body fell, his legs hitting the rings of the tower. He was close enough to latch on, but only with his feet which were not strong enough to catch the tower. The patterns whizzed by him as his mind tried to focus on what to do next. His arms were too far out, and he was very quickly losing all of the distance he had acquired. It was in this moment of desperation that his Ki took over. Instinctually sending the necessary energy to his feet, which like a magnet connected to the length of the tower, stopping Kit’s fall almost instantly. This would only last for a second as Kit felt the urge to run. At a ninety degree angle up the tower Kit began to run, his feet activating in a powerful Ki burst. Saito blurred up the side of the tower, not only reaching where he had fallen but passing it. Physically speaking it made no sense and yet his ki was allowing it. He was attached to the tower, and his legs were finishing up the important part of the job. Even with his weights on, and gravity pushing the opposite direction, the powerful Ki charge was enough to throw him to the top of the tower. After roughly thirty seconds of running, his cheeks pulsing due to the inertia of his upward run, he saw it, a platform at the top of the tower. His feet gave way, and both arms flew upwards, his fingers narrowly latching onto the rim of the tower. Suddenly the fatigue of his attack set in, and Kit couldn’t move. He just hung from the towers base.
It must have been nearly an hour before feeling returned to Saito’s legs. He clearly was not meant to run like that, and with the sun still not quite up in the sky it told Kit that he needed some legitimate rest. With his goal only inches away he felt the urge to pull himself up. His Ki rising yet again, this time of his own will. His hair straightened and frizzed outward, his eyes going a creamy white, and his teal aura wrapping itself around his body. The last of the energy he needed to pull himself up and onto the platform. With one final pull he rolled over the ledge and onto the platform, landing on his back.
Saito’s breathing was hard, and his muscles tired. He could only look at the top of the tower, not wanting to make any sudden movements in fear of ripping himself a part. The pride of his accomplishment was there, but his desperation to keep going had come from more than determination. It had come too from fear. The entire climb up his mind was focused on his confrontation with Anri and Nyu, how such powerful creatures existed and did whatever they wanted with the power they had. Some creatures had no compassion or moral values, and Saito needed to be strong enough to defend himself in the case that one of them found him to be a target. He wouldn’t die like Sekai had, and he wouldn’t allow his brother to face such a tragedy either. The tower had been taken care of both through determination of will power, and fear of the unknown. He needed to complete it, for if he hadn’t who is to say he would ever be strong enough to face the likes of the aliens he had met thus far.
Finally gathering the energy to lift his head, Kit put one elbow back so that he could look around the tower. He noted having to pull himself out of a puddle of his own sweat before coming to the conclusion that the tower had been abandoned…
“Dammit”
No one was here. No teacher, no power level, nothing. It was as if he had climbed the tower for nothing. Surely his physical body had improved from it, but he had been looking for more than a good training. This teacher may have known the crane secrets. They may have been strong enough to help him defeat Tundra, or protect himself from someone of Anri’s level. It was in this moment of desperation that a bird effortlessly fluttered to the top of the tower. The birds of course could fly with little effort, something Kit was more than a little jealous of. As it chirped however Kit didn’t get the feeling it was there to gloat, but to encourage. Its wings flapping feverishly, the bird landed on his shoulder and lightly dug its talons into his skin. It was as if the creature were trying to fly him upwards, but to no avail. Saito watched the bird for over a minute, dumbfounded as to what it could want. Then the communication became clear, the bird was trying to get him to go up. He wasn’t yet finished.
(Fin, Weights, PL)