The sound of wooden sticks clacking together filled the small area. There was 20 children in total paired up in twos going tit-for-tat with each other. Amongst them was a towering figure dressed in all black. Though not his typical attire, Gambaldi preferred to dress comfortably when he was tasked with training academy students, explaining the jogging pants and black t-shirt. He strode around the group of students bare foot, correcting forms or offering words of encouragement. Never to much of either, though. The lessons being that one most strive to be the best. Kumogakure could never count on anyone who aimed for less than that. Watching these students reminded Gambaldi of this fact, being that these would be the kids that shape the future Kumogakure.
The shriek of pain snapped Gambaldi out his zone as he turned to see one of the students on the ground. The young girl was in tears holding her face while her partner, another young girl, looked on with an apologetic expression. This made everyone stop their training as they looked on to see what happened. Gambaldi approached the girl on the ground, squatting down so that he was eye level with her. He said nothing ar first, simply moved her hand so he could see the damage. There was a huge red bruise spanning from chin to ear, a clean hit. "I'm sorry, Raionhato-sensei," the standing girl said. Gambaldi glanced back at her to see the shame in her face, turning back to the injured girl he responded, "You did nothing wrong, Kasha. This is training and injuries will happen." He stood up, helping the injured girl to her feet, "You must try harder, Rayne. As easily as that hit got through, imagine if it had been an actual blade. It only takes one mistake to lose your life, let this pain be a reminder of that. That goes for all of you. Learn from your mistakes and the mistakes of others." He looked at the faces of his students, seeing the fire in their eyes as they nodded to show understanding. Looking back toward Rayne, the injured student, she had already wiped away her tears and picked up her practice stick. Gambaldi help but smile as he gave the command to continue.
What started as a simple morning of training, ended around sunset. The students, though bruised and battered, walked toward their homes full of vigor. Only one had remained to continue practicing, the young student Rayne. Rather than take off, Gambaldi decided to wait until all his students had gone home. He found a seat on a large boulder then proceeded to pull out a blunt. His back was to the sun casting a shadow on his dedicated student as she practiced her swing and movements. Apparently his words had carried more weight than he knew. He let her go on for a bit longer, until the sun was gone leaving only its footprints in the sky. "Your not tired yet, kid," he said, taking the final hit of the blunt he'd been smoking. He flicked it away and leapt off the boulder. Rayne looked at her sensei, breathing heavily from fatigue though doing her best to hide it. "I'm fine, Raionhato-Sensei. I'm not tired at all." Gambaldi laughed at the statement as he approached, "Of that I'm sure. However, its getting late and you should be heading home. Resting is also an important of training little one. You can pick up tomorrow." "But Sensei-," she began but immediately was interrupted by Gambaldi. "It's not negotiable. Go home and rest, kid. Tend to that bruise." She frowned at Gambaldi who only returned the look with a smirk as he nodded his head towards the way exit. She put down the training stick and began to walk away, bowing before she was completely out of sight.
"Kids," he said aloud as he picked up the training stick. He gave it a few practice swings, the same basics he had just taught to the academy students. He was immediately reminded of his younger brother and how the two would train with stick similar to these, before even becoming a shinobi. Hayato was always the reckless one when it came to fighting, swinging at such odd angles that few could match his skill. Gambaldi own style, while not traditional, showed more focus and precision. The two styles had always complemented each other, so much so that they were called "The Black Lions" for there ferocity in battle. Now Hayato was dead and his body never recovered, leaving only one "Black Lion" in Kumogakure. His fist tightened around the handle of the wooden weapon then, all at once, he let it go. He had his duties still and the eternal debt he owed Kumo for taking him in as one of their own. Skillfully tossing the stick into the rack, Gambaldi left the area, "I need a drink," he said aloud though to himself. He had some time to kill before he went on about other business. "Sake sounds good right about now."
The shriek of pain snapped Gambaldi out his zone as he turned to see one of the students on the ground. The young girl was in tears holding her face while her partner, another young girl, looked on with an apologetic expression. This made everyone stop their training as they looked on to see what happened. Gambaldi approached the girl on the ground, squatting down so that he was eye level with her. He said nothing ar first, simply moved her hand so he could see the damage. There was a huge red bruise spanning from chin to ear, a clean hit. "I'm sorry, Raionhato-sensei," the standing girl said. Gambaldi glanced back at her to see the shame in her face, turning back to the injured girl he responded, "You did nothing wrong, Kasha. This is training and injuries will happen." He stood up, helping the injured girl to her feet, "You must try harder, Rayne. As easily as that hit got through, imagine if it had been an actual blade. It only takes one mistake to lose your life, let this pain be a reminder of that. That goes for all of you. Learn from your mistakes and the mistakes of others." He looked at the faces of his students, seeing the fire in their eyes as they nodded to show understanding. Looking back toward Rayne, the injured student, she had already wiped away her tears and picked up her practice stick. Gambaldi help but smile as he gave the command to continue.
What started as a simple morning of training, ended around sunset. The students, though bruised and battered, walked toward their homes full of vigor. Only one had remained to continue practicing, the young student Rayne. Rather than take off, Gambaldi decided to wait until all his students had gone home. He found a seat on a large boulder then proceeded to pull out a blunt. His back was to the sun casting a shadow on his dedicated student as she practiced her swing and movements. Apparently his words had carried more weight than he knew. He let her go on for a bit longer, until the sun was gone leaving only its footprints in the sky. "Your not tired yet, kid," he said, taking the final hit of the blunt he'd been smoking. He flicked it away and leapt off the boulder. Rayne looked at her sensei, breathing heavily from fatigue though doing her best to hide it. "I'm fine, Raionhato-Sensei. I'm not tired at all." Gambaldi laughed at the statement as he approached, "Of that I'm sure. However, its getting late and you should be heading home. Resting is also an important of training little one. You can pick up tomorrow." "But Sensei-," she began but immediately was interrupted by Gambaldi. "It's not negotiable. Go home and rest, kid. Tend to that bruise." She frowned at Gambaldi who only returned the look with a smirk as he nodded his head towards the way exit. She put down the training stick and began to walk away, bowing before she was completely out of sight.
"Kids," he said aloud as he picked up the training stick. He gave it a few practice swings, the same basics he had just taught to the academy students. He was immediately reminded of his younger brother and how the two would train with stick similar to these, before even becoming a shinobi. Hayato was always the reckless one when it came to fighting, swinging at such odd angles that few could match his skill. Gambaldi own style, while not traditional, showed more focus and precision. The two styles had always complemented each other, so much so that they were called "The Black Lions" for there ferocity in battle. Now Hayato was dead and his body never recovered, leaving only one "Black Lion" in Kumogakure. His fist tightened around the handle of the wooden weapon then, all at once, he let it go. He had his duties still and the eternal debt he owed Kumo for taking him in as one of their own. Skillfully tossing the stick into the rack, Gambaldi left the area, "I need a drink," he said aloud though to himself. He had some time to kill before he went on about other business. "Sake sounds good right about now."
