[The Inner Circle: Illiad Park] Vigorous [T]

Chakra moves at a slow pace when located at the feet. Even when the full attention of the host is upon it. One would call it frustrating, but I am extremely patient and is unnerved by the slow progression. Working at a fast pace normally makes one miss out on the most important thing in the task, so it pays to work slowly. My confidence about trying out the first step is still low, but it is raising. My concentration on my chakra has also created a small headache, but by now; I am used to it.

The thickness of my own chakra within my right foot is just under two inches. I also have a even amount of it surfaced just under the skin. My eyes flicker down toward the water for a moment before shifting to my toes. A very faint outline of blue is present. It appears that I am standing upon the chakra. Reluctance greets me as I raise my right foot. My weight changes easily as it rests upon my left leg and foot. The movement of my leg feels as if a mystical type of energy is pulling it back, preventing me from taking the step forward. So I shift myself forward slightly before taking the first step.

The water licks against my very skin, eliminating the heat that my chakra had created moments before. Chills shoot up my foot quickly, causing me to lift it and withdraw from the water's surface. Upon doing so small ripples line the pool's surface, disturbing the water from rest. I try again, forcing my foot to remain seated upon the water's surface. Before long the coolness is a thing of the past. My chakra has not faulted at all and appears to remain burning brightly as my right foot stands upon the water. My next task would be to balance upon the water while slowly adding pressure to my right foot while easing off my left.

My weight changes as I apply it to my right foot. My eyes are watching the two connections; the chakra and the water. I feel so coolness of the water as my weight presses my foot down. This is good as this tells me that the added weight is not causing my foot to sink. So I increase the weight and still the chakra maintains. The more weight I add the more concerned I grow. My chakra is behaving perfectly, and has still managed to keep me afloat. A good two minutes go by and I am applying all of my weight on my right foot while it is suspended upon the water.

The confidence in the chakra flow in the right foot had sky-rocketed by the time I was able to stand fully on it without the need of my left foot. So the capability of standing on one foot above a body of water was telling me I was ready to work on my left foot. The heat prickled along the tips of my left foot as the chakra began filling it from the tip of my largest toe to the very edge of my heel. Timing is crucial when it comes to learning techniques and jutsu. The chakra flattened out along the sole of my foot, and began to thicken as it continued to pile upon itself. So far so good.

The water around my right foot still continued to support it, but I sensed a small change in the stability. This concerned me since I have yet to complete the conjuring of my chakra on my left foot. I have not lost any chakra in my right foot, but why do I feel as if I am slowly sinking? The chakra ruminating in my left foot reaches the same amount of chakra in my right in less than two minutes. This is indeed slow, but it is training after all. But what continues to cloud my judgment is the fact that the sturdiness of my right foot is no longer as sturdy as it was a few moments ago. Nevertheless I reluctantly ease my right foot toward the water that is encased inside a concrete rectangle structure of my outdoor pool.

The same familiar coolness greets my left foot as I gently flatten it against the water. Liquid licks over three of my five toes as I strain to hold my weight on my right foot. I am unbalanced and my posture is too tense and thus I am wobbly on my toes. I know I can do this, and I know this because so far I am standing on a body of water ten meters deep into the ground. More rays from the sun brighten up the yard and more ripples of water race along the once flat surface of my pool. The feeling of loosing my stability is great, but I am confident that I will at least manage to stand fully on the water, evening my weight before going under due to lack of control.

More of my weight is added onto my left foot as I reluctantly even my balance. So far I am successful, a small glance down at my right foot and I notice that my smaller toes are no longer submerged. Now to get the same on my left half. A soft whistle of wind blows through my slightly damp hair, fluttering it around lightly like a leaf on the wind. The sudden change of temperature causes me to fully loose my concentration, and the next moment I find myself submerged in darkness and the awful sharpness of coolness wraps around my body like a Boa constricting it's prey. I have failed the first attempt at walking on water...

Now for my next foot. The chakra flows gently down my left leg before pouring into my foot. The heat raises within my foot as the chakra builds up. I am determined to keep an exact same amount of chakra in both feet so that standing upon the water will be no problem, it's just the walking bit that proves difficult. Minutes tick by and the chakra is already reached the two inches. I raise my left foot and pushes the chakra out so that it can be visible from the sole of my foot.

One more inch of chakra is added upon the first two inches as I gently place my foot on the water's surface beside my right one. My weight was transferred over almost immediately when my foot was placed upon the surface. This surprises me as moments ago, I was having problems with maintaining the chakra while evening out my balance. “Your tea and blanket is here, Miss Chiemi. I have placed them on the table and chair.” My Maid returns from the house. I nod while my eyes remain transfixed on the water. “Will that be all, Ma'am?” The Maid then asks. “Yes.” I reply.

The walking on water bit is up next. My right foot raises slightly and travels five inches across the water before setting back down. During that motion, my body remained slightly wobbly and terribly stiff, but no change was visible while the step was being made. It appears that my new chakra method has proved to be working. I hear a gasp from behind me as my Maid watches from afar, the water remains flat and steady. This is good since I imagine that rippling water would be difficult to walk upon let alone stand.

My left leg trembles slightly as I raise it. So far there is no change to my right side, but the chakra feels slightly faulty. The two inches does prove useful as one successful step is better than no step at all. My weight still remains somewhat balanced as my left foot raises into the air. It travels four inches above the water's surface before touching down lightly. I do not apply pressure just yet until I feel that my chakra is strong again. To maintain a constant amount of chakra at one section of the body is difficult, especially since my feet supports sixty six kilograms.

After a moment of applying pressure to my left foot, I find that my second step was another success. “I can walk!” I say, astonished. I decide to take another few steps, hoping to reach the center of the pool. So far my steps are that of a child's when they experience their first few steps. I am wobbly and my body remains rigid. I am afraid that one simple, small move will cost me my chakra control.

Small, baby steps will probably last me a while during my walking on water. But I am excited about telling Abumi that I am able to stand and walk upon the water's surface without sinking. My chakra control remains sturdy, yet two inches is quite a lot to maintain for certain periods of time. I wonder if removing a inch will make a difference. I ponder on it for a few moments before finally deciding to remove it. Minus the one inch off both feet, I find myself sinking slightly. But not to the point of submerging any section of my body. After all I do still have two inches of my chakra left in my foot.

I slowly turn around once I reach the center of my large pool. The thought of running lengths upon the water has already crossed my mind, but I don't want to rush myself into anything just because I know I can walk on water. My steps still remain slow and cautious. But the fact that I am walking on water tells me that I am now capable of playing God in two ways; one by walking up the trunks of trees and two by standing and walking on water. When I reach the end of the pool, I reduce the chakra control once more. The changes are immediate.

I feel incredibly heavy on my feet, but I also find that my feet are not submerged in anyway. My position is a foot into the pool so there is still a chance of falling into the water. I estimate that the amount of chakra within my foot now is roughly a inch and a half. Reducing the thickness to a inch soon enters my mind. So I decide to try it. Once the other half of the inch was removed, what remained was a very thin scare looking line of chakra along the soles of my feet. It became very dim to the eye, and my feet also began to sink. I raise my right foot to take a step forward, but the chakra gives out almost immediately after my foot was removed from the water's surface. I soon find myself submerged beneath the cool, bright blue.

After resurfacing and exiting the pool, the Maid approached me with the blanket. “No, not yet. I haven't got this yet.” I say sternly. My Maid hesitates, but doesn't attempt to wrap the blanket around me. She wouldn't dare. I approach the edge of the pool before concentrating on my chakra for the third time. The technique is almost mastered and I will refuse any breaks until I completely master this. The chakra within me is so energized that as it runs down my legs, the process is much quicker than the two times before.

The estimated time to fill both of my feet with chakra was at least two minutes; one minute per foot. My chakra worked as if it had a mind of it's own. I presume that is because my feet have been the main area for a few hours and my chakra have just grown used to it. The layers however, work at the same pace as the first time it was done. Piling on itself like molten lava running down the slope. A good two inches forms along the soles of both of my feet, creating a bright electric blue line along my peachy skin. I take another minute to create that inner inch for extra coverage before taking my first steps onto the water.

Each step is eased slowly and cautiously. My weight is automatically balanced once both feet touch the water. I literally feel myself bobbing upon the water's surface as if I were standing on a deck of a boat. The pool's ripples have increased due to my sudden movement, and a slight rainbow color lines each ripple as it expands out along the pool. My right foot is raised and is placed a foot ahead of my current position. My left foot follows thirty seconds after. My first steps still remain baby steps, but my speed has increased slightly. It is an improvement.

However, as the time goes by, my steps grow more accustomed to the water, and thus my speed quickens. Although I have not began running upon the water just yet; I will save that for further training. My eyes travel toward the house as they search for my Maid. “Is my tea hot?” I ask, glancing over toward the table. “Yes, Ma'am.” My Maid replies before approaching the edge of the pool with the blanket in hand. I accept the blanket once both of my feet are on solid ground. “Have something to eat and meet me out here in fifteen minutes.”

The weather promised sun earlier this morning; rain littered the skies above as if the Gods upstairs were pouring buckets of water upon the Earth below. The wind had also picked up. My Maid and I were driven indoors, but that does not prevent me from continuing with my training. Anyone would see my Maid as a simple, harmless woman. She is hesitant, cautious and always alert; but what most people don't know is that she is also capable of molding chakra. Whenever I am out absent from my home, my Maid accompanies me, I would call her my bodyguard as well as my Maid. She simply calls me her Maid or servant.

Whenever Abumi is not present, I train with my Maid. She is observant and very skilled in Ninjutsu. Her Taijutsu however, still needs work. My deal with her is: She teaches me Ninjutsu techniques, and I teach her Taijutsu. “Chakura Kyuin is a vacuum-like technique. You will need to touch your opponent in order to harness a small portion of their chakra.” My Maid explains. We are both seated by the fire in the loft of my home. My Maid sits opposite me with her legs folded and both of her hands outstretched. I mirror her position.

“This technique is usually used when in combat. But you can learn it just my touching my arm.” My body shifts slightly as I straighten my posture. “Alright.” I nod. “To start, you need to concentrate your own chakra along your hands. I focus it to the center of my palm as it helps provide precise chakra control. Once you have done that, instruct your chakra to come in as if you are sucking in the air around you.” I turn my hand over so that my palm is facing the roof. Earlier on, I had been learning how to walk upon water; so focusing my chakra to my hands will be no different to focusing it to my feet.

My chakra is pushed down my right arm slowly and evenly. My entire arm is loose and relaxed so that my chakra can travel down smoothly until it begins to fill my finger tips. Since my fingers are longer than my toes, the process takes a little longer than usual. This doesn't matter as eventually it will reach it's proper potential. In less than a minute, my hand is burning with chakra. The next move is to focus it to one spot before creating the suction.