Unconventional Training Methods

[painted_seals]

Who: Sai and Open
When: IC 1/16
Where: Gardens
What: Art, mice and doubles.
Rating/Warning: PG-13


a. Sai sits cross-legged on the steps of a newly renovated garden path with a sketch pad resting on his knees. With little effort, his hand runs across the paper in quick lines that come together to form the shadow of a figure that looks strangely like the one standing in front of the fountain meters away from him.


b. A small inky mouse bursts through a gooseberry bush and hot on its trail is a grey alley cat. Spotting someone up ahead, the mouse changes its path and hurries towards the new player. The cat is quick to lay chase and pounces before the little rodent can scurry behind the other, but in its haste it misses the true aim of its prey and is quick to re-route pouncing on the person's foot just as the mouse scurries up their leg.


c. Custom had Sai practicing his taijutsu in the gardens, a more familiar area for a ninja of Konoha amid plants and trees. From up above two ink clones make their move and Sai flips back as two kunai's embed themselves on the ground he'd been standing on seconds before. Pulling out his tanto, he deflects half a dozen shuriken and kicks the first clone square in the chest before spinning around to deflect the sword coming down on him. He then jumps back and the second clone chases after him forcing him to step to the left where a hand suddenly grabs him from the ground below - the first clone. Sai parries off a blow from the clone above ground and quickly slams his tanto down on the first destroying it and covering his foot in ink. With his foot now free, he manages to jump away just in time to avoid a slash to his exposed stomach. Gripping his sword tightly, the ninja faces off his ink creation ready to embed the tanto in its side when the sound of approaching footsteps reaches his ears stilling his movements. Sai immediately turns away from the clone and toward the direction of the sound, while the clone shifts its attention to the new arrival, sword still firmly in its hand.

Comments

a!!!

[painted_seals]

[Laid down on the thick paper is an unfinished sketch done in charcoal. On her approach Sai is busy smudging the edges with his thumb to better soften the previous stroke.]

[hoasen]

[On closer inspection, that looks a lot like her.

O-oh...except she bites down to keep her mouth shut, she didn't want to interrupt him while he's in his creative zone.]

[painted_seals]

[His hands stop their movement. With his thoughts lingering on the drawing beneath his fingertips, Sai forgets to remind himself to smile and simply turns to face her point blank.]

.....

[hoasen]

[As soon as he stopped, she looks up to see him staring right at her.]

...

[...OH WAIT.]

A-ah, I am sorry for interrupting you!

[painted_seals]

[He stares up at her.]

You didn't interrupt me.

[hoasen]

Oh.

[She blinks back at him. WHAT DOES SHE SAY--]

It's a lovely drawing.

[Nailed it.]

[painted_seals]

[Sai shifts his facial muscles into a smile remembering the gesture.]

Thank you for staying still.

[hoasen]

[Now she gets it, he was looking straight at her because she's his reference. This is why she wasn't interrupting.]

You're...welcome?

I am honoured though, to be the subject of a talented artist, even though it was a surprise to find out.

[painted_seals]

I'm not an artist.

[He sets down the pencil, then turns to look at her.]

You were difficult to draw.

[hoasen]

You're not? Is this a hobby?

[She raises an eyebrow at his comment, what did he mean?]

Why so?

[painted_seals]

It's training.

[He's raises a gloved hand, the charcoal smudged across his exposed thumb and forefinger.]

Your eyes. They were difficult to grasp.

[hoasen]

What are you training for? If I may ask.

[She never actually heard that before, then again, she's never had anyone draw her either, so--]

Are they a strange shape?

[painted_seals]

My ninjutsu.

[There's a long pause there as he tries to put into words what was easy to grasp with a look.]

They... changed a lot. [If he wasn't so socially crippled he'd realize that the term best suited here was expressive.]

[hoasen]

Oh! [Sai be glad she's met the ninjas already.] Are you like Lee?

[Also it's true, she didn't get what he meant by "they changed a lot".]

As in, they didn't keep still? Too much blinking?

[painted_seals]

[Not exactly like Lee, but yes, a ninja like him.] Lee-san is from the world I'm from.

[Not quite but close.]

The shape changed. It was subtle but it didn't stay still. I had to obscure the shape of them with a side view and cover any solid lines with hair.

[hoasen]

[SHE'S LEARNING!!] I see! So you are a ninja?

[Shape changed?? She tilts her head to look at the picture again.]

I still think it is better than anything I can do, but I apologise for making it a little difficult. I suppose it was because I didn't realise I was the subject, I would've tried harder to keep still.

[painted_seals]

I am. [He see's no point in keeping it secret, especially when he trained out in the open.]

[He looks at her and bluntly adds: ]

You can keep still now.

[hoasen]

I have some questions to ask about your profession, but they can wait.

[She now keeps still as possible, ready whenever he is.]

[painted_seals]

[He stares at her eyes taking the time to fully capture the curve of the lower lid mapping the lines that sharpened up to the edge of the lashes.]

.......

[Silently, he picked up his pencil and starting drawing.]

[hoasen]

[It's actually a little awkward, but she promised she would keep still. What's awkward is that she's getting drawn, which is almost similar to being photographed?

At least he's not asking her to smile.]

[painted_seals]

[He's finished a few minutes later and puts the pencil down. He picks up a black-stained white cloth and cleans his fingers free of the lingering charcoal. When he's done, he turns to look at her and attempts a smile, curving his eyes.]

Thank you for keeping still.

[hoasen]

[Oh look at that! He appears to be pleased, and so she relaxes after he thanks her.]

You're welcome. Are you done for the day, or will you be finding others to draw?

[painted_seals]

[He sets the cloth down and closes the sketchbook.]

I'm done with this training.

[He tells her as he gathers his things ]

[hoasen]

[That reminds her what she wanted to ask him before--]

Why does your ninja training require art?

[painted_seals]

[Smoothly.]

It's not art. It's practice.

[He slips the sketchbook into his backpack and zips it back up.]