How to avoid being a Ninja

Chapter 8: tree walking

~The next morning~
Aiko woke up and walked towards the kitchen to have breakfast.

Her mother was already done preparing the table, with food that her father cooked.
"Good morning" she said, smiling at her mother then turning to her father only to be surprised by seeing bruises on his face, his eye swollen and purple.

'Huh? Could it be-' she immediately looked at her mother with a slightly shocked expression but her mother only smiled at her gently, she looked clueless and had an angelic aura.
"Good morning sweetheart, did you sleep well?"

Aiko nodded her head as a response
'nah, there's no way she was the one who beat him up like that. He probably had another urgent mission yesterday, that's why he didn't come.'

She thought while she got lifted up by her father and put on the chair then started eating her breakfast.

After they were done eating, Tomoko started doing the dishes while Aiko helped her in cleaning the table.
Ryohei had already left. Maybe he felt embarrassed having his daughter see him like that? Who knows.

Aiko took a deep breath and decided to talk.
"Mother.."
"Hmm?" Tomoko only hummed as a response, enough to let her know she was listening.
"I think I'm ready to go outside alone now. You already saw how I came back from the Library yesterday on my own. So you should let me-"

Aiko didn't finish her words when she got cut off by Tomoko.
"Aiko-chan, let's discuss this matter another time, when your father is also here."

'hey now, I can't back down! I'm close to getting my freedom!'
"But!-" Aiko was going to protest but… she felt a chill run down her spine.
Tomoko was smiling but…it was dark.
She probably remembered what Ryohei had done yesterday.
'this dark aura! She's mad. I shouldn't press this matter any further, for now.'
Aiko gulped. "Yes mother, I understand."

Tomoko calmed down and patted Aiko on her head gently.
"Your father and I will decide on this matter in the evening."
Aiko nodded, smiling Brightly.
"Then, I'll be playing in the backyard now!"
She said then she ran outside.
Tomoko smiled and continue with the cleaning.

~After a very short time~

Aiko was in the backyard of their house, sitting in a lotus position meditating peacefully.

She was  trying to work on her chakra control. if you look closely, you could spot the leaf sticking to her forehead.

she had  succeeded in this exercise in her first try. that wasn't surprising, given the fact that  she has spent most of her time since birth on her chakra circulation and modeling it.
It had become like breathing to her.
Her chakra reserve is huge compared to her peers, at least her spiritual one. she has to work on her physical one which mean she has to work out to balance the two.

' Now, let's move on   to the second exercise in chakra control, tree walking. I know it's a genin exercise but that doesn't mean I can't do it. Kakashi graduated from the academy at 6!'
she thought , with determination in her eyes she got up from her sitting position and faced the tree near her.

She  looked  around trying to sense if anyone was near. She felt her mother's chakra in the kitchen just as she left her cleaning. As for her father, she couldn't sense him anywhere in the house , after all he went out this morning.
After a while, she deemed it safe to start her training.

She took a deep breath and concentrated on her chakra , pulling some  from her spiritual  and physical power , merging it to form chakra  , leading it through her chakra coils to her foot.

She then opened her eyes as she lifted her leg and tried to stick it to the tree but as her leg touched the tree a bent formed , she panicked slightly looking around her l,Aiko sighed in relief as no one noticed that .

' This is gonna take a long time to know the right amount of chakra I should use , I hope my mom  won't notice  this dent ' Aiko thought as she went back to her training, this time she tried to decrease the amount .
~ two weeks later ~

It took Aiko two weeks to finally find the right amount of Chakra needed to stick to the tree.
Now, she  can stick and walk on a tree for 10 minutes, but  with wobbly steps.
" Yes finally !!!" Aiko cheered, but because she lost concentration she collapsed down.
'ow'

" Aiko-chan what are you doing ?" That voice startled her as she jumped up.
"Mom, you scared me !!" She said with a childish tone, her mother chuckled softly and ruffled the young girl's hair.
" Sorry dear, I didn't mean to startle you.so what were you doing while laying down beside the tree?" She asked with a curious expression.
' excuse… I need a good excuse!'
" I was ….just watching the clouds! That one looks like  a tiger hehe " Aiko said childishly, pointing up to a random cloud while giggling.
'It doesn't even look like a tiger! I should have said something else ughhh!' Aiko dramatically cried mentally.

"  You really like to watch clouds huh? then I will make sure to join you later. Oh and I'll buy you a book where you can learn about animals. That cloud looks more like a fish" she said, ruffling her hair once more and smiling at her.
'Uh now she thinks I mistook a fish for a tiger ' Aiko regretted not giving out a better excuse earlier, but it's all good since it worked out well and her mother didn't find out about her training.

" Aiko-chan, would you like to come with me to the park?" Tomoko asked.
Aiko looked up at her and shook her head.
" No, I want to observe the clouds more here.."
"Oh my, what a pity, after all me and your father were going to tell you good news  about the matter two weeks ago but.." Tomoko replied
" Wait! I meant to say I wanted to go!"
Tomoko grinned since her plan worked out perfectly.
'Do I really have to go..' Aiko sighed mentally.

Tomoko held her hand and they headed outside together.