B-rank, here I come! ^^

[Someone]

[0/600]

90 Degree Cat
Rank: "E" Rank
Skill: TaiJutsu
Effect: Center line partially open. Has an 90-10 weight ratio
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: Start with the heel of one foot up against the instep of your other foot (your feet are at a 90 degree angle to each other). Slide the heel foot forward so the heel is where the toes were. Move up onto the ball of that foot.
Limit: Must be taught by a Kenpo Master.

0/5

The boy was back. It had been a long time since he had fist entered his master's Dojo. Miyagi Chojun Sensei had been kind enough to let Raikou learn under him... but it had been quite some time, he wasn't sure if the man would let him back in...

Raikou sighed and bowed before entering the dojo. A sign of respect that he had not soon forgotten.

"Master? Master Miyagi-Sensei?" Raikou called into the dojo.

"You're late." The man growled. "You're a year late. You think I'd teach someone who just quits on Kenpo? Ha! Come again when you're serious." The man dismissed the child. Raikou frowned, his face growing hard.

"Master, I'm ready to learn, the chunin exams are coming up and I need to learn Kenpo if I'm going to pass!" The youth cried. The man looked up, a small smile on his face.

"Well, such high ambitions... like normal... Good to see you Raikou." The man stood up. "Now, where did we leave off all those years ago? Ah, the Cat Stances!" Raikou blinked. More stances? How many more were there? Raikou looked around.

"Hey... where's Mari?" Raikou asked. The man shook his head.

"She's in the advanced class now, belt four." Raikou's smile fell. She advanced that far? In only a year she already seemed out of reach of catching up to. "But, we're having a small break, and you seem apt enough to learn... what about we try to catch up in the next couple of days?" The man asked, his smile disappearing even though the tone was friendly.

"First, you start with the heel of one foot up against the instep of your other foot." The sensei explained. The man shook his head as he saw Raikou's feet positioning. "your feet are at a 90 degree angle to each other, not parallel." Raikou nodded his head and fixed his feet. "Then, slide the heel foot forward so the heel is where the toes were, then move up onto the ball of that foot and..." The sensei watched as Raikou did that. "Perfect!" Raikou held the position as the old man walked around him, his monk garb swaying as he walked.

"Good, now, do that again without my guidance." Raikou nodded his head and assumed the neutral position he had been taught. Closing his eyes, Raikou put his heel against the instep of the other foot and raised his heel above the toes, his leg bending naturally with the movement.

"That's right. Now, don't forget it has a 90-10 weight ratio." Raikou shifted his weight to the back foot and slightly to the front. "That's right. That is called the 90 Degree Cat Stance."

[zuka]

Learned.

[Someone]

5/600

45 degree Cat
Rank: "E" Rank
Skill: TaiJutsu
Effect: Center line partially open. Has an 90-10 weight ratio
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: Start with your heels together, toes apart at a 45 degree angle. Move the heel of one foot forward so the heel is where the toes of that foot were. Move up onto the ball of that foot.
Limit: Must be taught by a Kenpo Master.

0/5

Raikou nodded his head. "The 90 Degree Cat." The boy frowned. "But... is there any other type of Cat stances?" He asked, curious why they had the 90 in front of it.

"That was actually what I was going to show you next." His master said and assumed almost the same position as the 90 degree cat stance. His heels started together, toes apart at a 45 degree angle. He then moved the heel of one foot forward so the heel is where the toes of that foot were and moved up onto the ball of that foot. Raikou blinked.

"So, it's the same thing only with your heels starting togeather?" Raikou asked. The man nodded.

"Yes, yet they are used for two completly different things." Raikou tilted his head. The man let out a small laugh. "You'll see, now, back to training, show me the stance." Raikou sighed and closed his eyes, resuming the neutral stance he had moved from. He put his heels togeather in a 90 degree angle, moving his right heel over his toes, he shifted his weight to the back foot in a 90-10 weight ratio. The man nodded in approval.

"Very good, and you remembered what I told you about the weight. Training a young dog new tricks... accurate in more than one way, am I not right?" His master asked, Raikou couldn't help but to sigh at the man's attempt at a joke.

[zuka]

+3 -_-

[Someone]

(-.- +3? And that's y I don't train often XD)

3/5

His master shook his head. "You lazy bum you, you didn't learn the move YET?!" Raikou blinked. He thought he had

"I'm going to make you practice it ten billion more times so you learn to get that hiney under you instead of jutting out like that!" Raikou blinked, shocked the man could even make such a statement. Had his butt been that far out?

The boy shook his head and went back into the neutral stance. He put his heels togeather in a 90 degree angle and moved his right heel over his toes, he shifted his weight to the back foot in a 90-10 weight ratio. He looked back at his teacher.

"Better?" He asked. The man inspected the boy's position and shook his head.

"No, the reason I said that was because your butt was hanging out. Push it back in!" The man slapped it and Raikou gave a short yelp. The boy felt a growl in his throat, but restrained it. He had to put up with this... he had to...

[Okami]

+2

[Someone]

10/600

Front Twist
Rank: "E" Rank
Skill: TaiJutsu
Effect: Sets up torque. 1/2 of a cover out. Transitionary stance
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: From a Neutral Bow, move your rear leg forward in front of your front leg and towards the corner so that the inside of your foot is facing the corner. Up on the ball of your other foot, keep knees bent.
Limit: Must be taught by a Kenpo Master.

0/5

"Can you guess what that last stance was called?" His master asked. Raikou frowned in concentration.

"The 45 degree Cat Stance?" The boy asked, taking a wild guess.

"Precisely. Now, watch me as I show you something radically different from what you're used to." The man assumed the neutral stance, his feet shoulder width appart and his hands down to his sides. Then he dropped his leg back, his feet at 45 degree angles with the front toe parallel to rear heel and his front arm out at 90 degrees in front of face. He pulled his rear arm in close covering the midsection in its 'cage' his sensei liked to say. From that position, he moved his rear leg forward in front of his front leg and towards the corner so that the inside of his foot was facing the corner. He then got up on the ball of his other foot, while keeping his knees bent. Raikou frowned in concentration, memorizing the man's movements.

"Did you understand what I did?" The man asked. Not waiting for a responce the man explained. "I simply assumed Neutral Stance and then went into Neutral Bow Stance, then I shifted into your new stance, Front Twist." Raikou nodded his head as he went into his own neutral stance. Raikou dropped his leg back, his feet at 45 degree angles with the front toe parallel to rear heel and his front arm out at 90 degrees in front of face. The boy then pulled his rear arm in close covering his midsection. From that position, he moved his rear leg forward in front of his front leg and towards the corner so that the inside of his foot was facing the corner. He then got up on the ball of his other foot, while keeping his knees bent. The boy opened his eyes and looked at his master.

"Very good, however, make sure you have a 50-50 weight distribution. Anything else and you become imbalance, movable, as weak as a bird in the wild wind." Raikou nodded his head, understanding what his metaphore meant. "Now, let's try it one more time." Raikou sighed. The young man dropped his leg back, his feet at 45 degree angles with the front toe and parallel to rear heel. His front arm was out at 90 degrees in front of face. Raikou then pulled his rear arm in close covering his torso as though expecting a punch. From that position, he moved his rear leg forward in front of his front leg and towards the corner so that the inside of his foot was facing the corner. He then got up on the ball of his other foot, while keeping his knees bent.

"I.... Think I got it sensei..." The boy said from the Stance.

[Arashi Zetsumei]

+5 Learned.

[Someone]

15/600

Rear Twist
Rank: "E" Rank
Skill: TaiJutsu
Effect: Sets up torque. 1/2 of a cover out. Transitionary stance
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: From a Neutral Bow, move your rear leg forward behind of your front leg and towards the corner so that the inside of your foot is facing the corner. Up on the ball of your other foot, keep knees bent.
Limit: Must be taught by a Kenpo Master.

0/5

"You do not tell me if you have it or not... that is for me to decide!" His sensei said calmly, his eyes closed. Raikou sighed and held the position. "Alright, you've learned it..." His sensei said without looking. Raikou growled.

"But you didn't even look!" The boy complained.

"I can hear your ceacless chattering, and that's good enough." His sensei said, eyes still closed. Raikou grumbled something under his breath. Thankfully, his sensei didn't ask him what he said. "Now, you must twist the other way to learn the next stance..." His teacher said opening his eyes and assuming the Neutral Stance. The man dropped his leg back, his feet at 45 degree angles with the front toe parallel to rear heel and his front arm out at 90 degrees in front of face. Then, he pulled his rear arm in close covering his midsection. From that position, he moved his rear leg forward behind his other leg and towards the corner so that the inside of his foot was facing the corner. He then got up on the ball of his other foot, while keeping his knees bent. Raikou watched as his teacher showed him the moves. They were very identical to what he had been doing before with the Front Twist.

"Let me guess... this is the Back Twist?" Raikou asked. His teacher nodded. The boy sighed, "When are we actually going to be learning real moves? Punching, kicking, you know... good stuff like that!"

The master shook his head. "Patients young one, your kicking and punching are coming... learn your basics and you will rise to success." Raikou had loathed learning stances from the beginning... but this was taking forever! Raikou sighed, taking the Neutral Stance he had been shown. He dropped his leg back, his feet at 45 degree angles with the front toe parallel to rear heel and his front arm out at 90 degrees in front of face. Raikou then pulled his rear arm in close covering his midsection. From that position, he moved his rear leg forward behind his other leg and towards the corner so that the inside of his foot was facing the corner. He then got up on the ball of his other foot, while keeping his knees bent. The boy sighed as he returned to the Neutral Stance.

"That looked good, though I still see your butt sticking out." Raikou growled, remembering the slap he had gotten earlier. His face said 'touch I disagree again and die'. The man didn't see such an aggitated look, however. "Do it again, and do it right." Raikou took a breath in through his nose and exhaled through his mouth. Already in the Neutral Stance, he dropped his rear leg back, his feet at 45 degree angles with the front toe parallel to rear heel and his front arm out at 90 degrees in front of face. Then, he pulled his rear arm in close covering his midsection. From that position, he moved his rear leg forward behind his other leg and towards the corner so that the inside of his foot was facing the corner. He then got up on the ball of his other foot, while keeping his knees bent.

"Good, and this time you were in good form." His sensei smiled, still not looking at Raikou who had purposly stuck his butt out.

"Ha! I got you! This time my butt was sticking out!" Raikou laughed.

"You stuck you butt out inward causing you to straighten... your Inuzuka stances had you go into such forms, so when I say out, you think in. When I say stick your butt out, you think go into a standing position. When I say stick you butt in, you go into a curved back position... that's only your training speaking, but you need to remember this is not Inuzuka Style Fighting." Raikou blinked, realizing the man was right. A lightbulb went off in his head and he shook his head.

"Finally, I do SOMETHING right." the boy sighed.

[|Ayame Unbound|]

Learned.

[Someone]

20/600 [59 or so Techniques to go -.-'] [hey! I rhymed!]

Rotating Twist
Rank: "E" Rank
Skill: TaiJutsu
Effect: Gets us out of our own way
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: From a Neutral Bow, turn your forward foot outward (rotating on the ball of the foot) so that your toes point to the side. At the same time, bend your rear knee and sink your body so that your rear knee is a couple inches off the ground. Your front foot is flat on the floor and you are on the ball of your rear foot. Rear hand is power hand Can be use to change direction. Provides torque
Limit: Must be taught by a Kenpo Master.

0/5

"You've been doing many things right." The man said in responce to the boy's outburst of relief. "You just do more things wrong. Relax, let it flow from you like water to the ocean." This time, Raikou had no idea what the metaphor was for. the man saw the confusion in the boy's eyes and shook his head. "Nevermind... here's your next stance... It's called the Rotating Twist."

The man's feet were shoulder length apart and his hands relaxed at his sides. He dropped his rear leg back, his feet at 45 degree angles with the front toe parallel to rear heel and his front arm out at 90 degrees in front of face. Then, he pulled his rear arm in close covering his midsection. Then he turned his forward foot outward, rotating on the ball of the foot so that his toes pointed to the side. At the same time, he bent his rear knee and sink his body so that the rear knee was a couple inches off the ground. His front foot was flat on the floor and he was on the ball of his rear foot. The rear hand was the man's power hand.

"This move can allow you to change direction when fighting. It gives you torque, so don't forget it." Raikou nodded, watching the man go through the steps.

"Torque? What's that?" Raikou asked, not following the new vocabulary the man was using. His teacher sighed, not having expected becoming an english teacher.

"Twist... Torque is just another word for twist." Raikou nodded his head. made sense... it was called the Rotating Twist after all... The boy shrugged and moved his legs to be shoulder width apart with his hands to his side. He dropped his rear leg back, his feet at 45 degree angles with the front toe parallel to rear heel and his front arm out at 90 degrees in front of face. Raikou then pulled his rear arm in close covering his midsection. He turned his forward foot outward, rotating on the ball of the foot so that his toes pointed to the side. At the same time, he bent his rear knee and sink his body so that the rear knee was a couple inches off the ground. His front foot was flat on the floor and he was on the ball of his rear foot making sure his rear hand was his power hand.

"Good... if you were an Inuzuka..." The man growled. "What did I tell you about your stance?" Raikou sighed. Right... "Do it again..."

The boy shook his head wearily as he moved back into Neutral Stance. He dropped his rear leg back, his feet at 45 degree angles with the front toe parallel to rear heel and his front arm out at 90 degrees in front of face. Then, he pulled his rear arm in close covering his midsection. Then he turned his forward foot outward, rotating on the ball of the foot so that his toes pointed to the side. At the same time, he bent his rear knee and sink his body so that the rear knee was a couple inches off the ground. His front foot was flat on the floor and he was on the ball of his rear foot. The rear hand was his power hand. This time, he made sure his butt wasn't sticking out.

[Arashi Zetsumei]

+5 learned

[Someone]

25/600

High Wide Kneel
Rank: "E" Rank
Skill: TaiJutsu
Effect: Used to accentuate Marriage of Gravity
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: From neutral Bow, bend rear knee and stay up on ball of rear foot, rear knee at 45 degrees, foot pointing outward.
Limit: Must be taught by a Kenpo Master.

0/5

The man's arms were hanging to his side, his feet shoulder width appart in the Neutral Stance. He dropped his rear leg back, his feet at 45 degree angles with the front toe parallel to rear heel and his front arm out at 90 degrees in front of face. His master then pulled his rear arm in close covering his midsection. From that position, he bent his rear knee and stayed up on ball of his rear foot, the rear knee at a 45 degree angle and the foot pointing outward.

"Did you understand everything?" The man asked looking at Raikou from the last position.

"Yeah... I think..." Raikou replied hesitantly, switching to the last stance to test it out for himself. It felt... wobbly... not very sturdy... like he would fall over at any moment.

"That's wrong... Don't try to go directly to the stance, work your way into it." His teacher said. "Start from Neutral and go to the high wide kneel." Raikou blinked. "The new stance..." His master explained. The boy made an 'oh' face and started his stances. His arms hung at his side, his feet shoulder width appart in the Neutral Stance. Raikou dropped his rear leg back, his feet at 45 degree angles with the front toe parallel to rear heel and his front arm out at 90 degrees in front of face. He then pulled his rear arm in close covering his midsection in the all too familiar now Neutral Bow stance. From that position, he bent his rear knee and stayed up on ball of his rear foot, the rear knee at a 45 degree angle and the foot pointing outward into the new High Wide Kneel stance. It felt much more solid than the first time he had tried it. perhaps the trick to this style was the flow between the stances.

"Very good... It seems you understand what the training is for now. You are flowing between stances calmly and smoothy. You are strong in the legs and mind, thus you can be sturdy as the earth and hit like the raging ox." Raikou's eye brows raised in confusion. Where did he get all these lame metaphores from?

"Try it one last time." His master said closing his eyes. Raikou nodded and closed his own eyes. He stood ready in the Neutral Stance, his breathing coming in slowly through the nose and then from the mouth. He dropped his rear leg back, his feet at 45 degree angles with the front toe parallel to rear heel and his front arm out at 90 degrees in front of face. Raikou then pulled his rear arm in close covering his midsection. From that position, he bent his rear knee and stayed up on ball of his rear foot, the rear knee at a 45 degree angle and the foot pointing outward.

[hotaru]

+5

[Someone]

30/600

Close Kneel
Rank: "E" Rank
Skill: TaiJutsu
Effect: Covers center line. Used for breaking or checking knee
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: From Forward Bow, bend rear knee and stay up on ball of rear foot, rear knee and foot facing forward.
Limit: Must be taught by a Kenpo Master.

0/5

Miyagi Sensei's feet were shoulder width apart and his arms relaxed at his sides in the Neutral Stance. He slowly dropped his left leg back, his feet at 45 degrees and front toe parallel to the rear heel. His Front arm extended out at a 90 degree angle in front of his face while his rear arm in close covering the man's midsection. He then turned his rear foot to face the front keeping the rear foot flat on the ground and straightening the leg. He bent his front knee, hiding his toes from his feild of vision. The man then bent his rear knee and stayed up on ball of his rear foot, the rear knee and foot facing forward in the direction the man was looking.

"And this is called the close Kneel, notice how neither of my knees are touching the ground." The man said. Raikou had already noticed that. It looked like it required a lot of leg strength to hold such a strange position. The man rose and returned to the Neutral Stance.

"First you go into Neutral Stance." Raikou followed. "Then Neutral Bow Stance." Raikou did as the man did. "Then the Front Bow Stance. Remember to keep your toes out of sight! Go down further!" The boy remembered the example his master had used some time ago... pretending that if he could see his toes they would be cut off. The boy gulped remembering the man's collection of swords in the back. "And then into Close Kneel Stance." The man finished going into the new stance. Raikou immitated to the best of his abilities, but even so, it still felt wobbly. "Straighten your back." His master said and Raikou did as he was told. It didn't help with the feel of the stance... but it looked like what his master was doing.

"Try it again without me guiding you this time." His master said, watching the boy stand. Raikou assumed the Neutral Stance. His feet were shoulder width apart and his arms relaxed at his sides. He slowly dropped his left leg back, his feet at 45 degrees and front toe parallel to the rear heel. His front arm extended out at a 90 degree angle in front of his face while his rear arm in close covering the man's midsection. He then turned his rear foot to face the front keeping the rear foot flat on the ground and straightening the leg. He bent his front knee, hiding his toes from his feild of vision. The man then bent his rear knee and stayed up on ball of his rear foot, the rear knee and foot facing forward in the direction he was looking.

"That's good." His master said and Raikou returned to Neutral Stance.

[Arashi Zetsumei]

+5 Learned.

[Jin Hoshigake]

[/enter]

Walking into this scene, Jin tilted his head a bit, looking at the fellow Mist ninja. He had heard about the Crying Long Sword and knew that it had once been part of the Hoshigake Clan so he wanted it back quite a bit, but he wasn't going to just take it back. He had to act with pride and respect so that people would view his clan with dignity instead of with disgust. He knew that the bearer of the Crying Long Sword had won it from a dangerous mission on a bridge in some minor country. Jin's large, blue body would make its presence known as he looked at the one bearing the sword. So, he had been training after all. That was no surprise since the Chuunin Exams were coming up. Jin would speak dry, deep words.

"So, I hear you have quite a unique sword..."

[Someone]

Raikou blinked.

"Ah, you want it? Here, take it." Raikou unstrapped the sword from his back and tossed it to the Hoshigake. Yes, he tossed the fifty pound sword. "It was weighing me down anyway, carrying it everywhere... even having to fight with it on... Gets kinda troublesome after a while." Raikou shrugged. "Alright! Back to training!" He turned back to his sensei.
_____________________________

35/600

Crane
Rank: "E" Rank
Skill: TaiJutsu
Effect: Used to get travel for kick to knee
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: Natural stance, move one leg up and place bottom of foot on the inside of the other knee.
Limit: Must be taught by a Kenpo Master.

0/5

"Now, this is the last one." Raikou blinked. Really?! The last of the unending stances he was forced to learn?! They were really almost over!

"Don't get too excited... You still have a long ways to go before you've mastered Kenpo... but yes... after you complete this stance training... you'll be ready to 'hit stuff' as you so elequently put it earlier." The man smiled, seeing his pupil's excitment.

"Finally! Now we're getting somewhere!" Raikou cried in pure ecstacy.

"Now, this stance isn't really all that hard, I know. But this is where people make the most mistakes." His sensei assumed the neutral position with his hands to his sides and his feet shoulder width apart. He then moved one leg up and placed the bottom of the foot on the inside of the other knee. "And this, is called the Crane Stance. This is one of the most well known stances used in the martial arts and has been adopted by many different styles." Raikou nodded, no longer frusterated with the many stances he had been forced to go through. He was finally gonna be training! For real! "Alright, let me see you immitate what I showed you."

Raikou nodded his head again and closed his eyes, assuming the Neutral Position as his master had. Opening his eyes, he moved one leg up and placed the bottom of the foot on the inside of the other knee. It didn't really take a whole lot of effort. Balance was nothing for an Inuzuka! However, he caught himself before his master commented on his hunched back and straightened it out. There was the balance issues! Raikou nearly tipped over being outside the norm of his fighting style.

"It takes time, don't fret." His master said and bowed to the young boy. "But it seems you have learned well." Raikou nodded. he still had to try it once more. "Though, I would like to see you try it once more." Raikou closed his eyes, assuming the neutral stance. Opening his eyes, he moved one leg up and placed the bottom of the foot on the inside of the other knee. This time, the balance issues weren't there... and neither was the curved back! His master nodded his head in approval.

[Jin Hoshigake]

Blinking some, Jin absentmindedly caught the sword with both of his hands and immediately felt what the other was saying. It was quite the heavy weapon, so it was probably a good thing that Jin was a Hoshigake with advanced strength. He nodded and bowed respectfully before the other. "Thanks. I appreciate it. You ever need anything, just come find me." He made his way back to his own training grounds with a weird feeling in him. Why had the other just given the sword up so easily? It was unimportant. What mattered was that Jin had the sword in his possession now.

[/exit]

[Arashi Zetsumei]

+5 Learned.