#5 Unlocking Chakra

4 years have passed Konoha has recovered from the Kyuubi attack and returned to normal.

Yoshino: Shikamaru!!!

Wake up, it's already noon!!!

I was sitting relaxed at the dining table and had already finished my meal.

Yoshino: Haru can you go to your brother and wake him up please?

Haru: Mom, you are much more persuasive than me, when it comes to waking up Maru. She looked grimly at me and went upstairs, followed by a loud bang.

Then Shikamaru could be heard.

Shikamaru: Mom what is with you?

I was already on my way down to you.

They both came down the stairs and Shikamaru had a big bump on his forehead. Shikamaru: Good morning nii san.

I nodded and Maru started to eat.

After Maru finished eating, we said goodbye to mom and went to the playground.

We were on our way to the playground.

Haru: Maru, I can't wait for our chakra to be awakened tomorrow, then I'll train a lot more!

Shikamaru turned to me and said:

"Don't you train enough already?

Every morning you do 100 push-ups, squats, sit ups and then you run 30 km around the compound."

I grinned at him.

Haru: You can come with me then I'm not so lonely while training.

Shikamaru looked at me and grinned also.

Maru: You better take Choji with you, he eats way too much anyway.

I nodded and we continued our walk to the playground.

As soon as we arrived we saw Choji with a bag of chips in his hand.

Shikamaru: When you talk about the devil.

Choji came running to us after he saw us.

Choji: Hello guys, do you want some Chips too.

Shikamaru was annoyed again.

Maru: Weren't the other kids willing to play with you again?

These jerks.

First they don't let Haru play with them anymore, because they don't want to be destroyed by him and then they don't let you play anymore for exactly the opposite.

They don't matter, we'll just play one of the games that Haru invented, they're a lot more fun anyway, right?

Choji: Exactly, Haru's games make more fun.

Haru: Then let's get our soccer ball and play a bit of hopscotch.

We played a bit and then it was already evening.

Shikamaru and me said goodbye to Choji and went home.

We stood in front of the door and heard our mother screaming loudly.

Yoshino: The only thing you ever do is drinking with your Friends at this dumb bar, when was the last time you invited me to eat something with you?

I assumed that dad hadn't fully recovered from the Kyuubi attack, so he often went for a lift.

We entered the house and pans and pots came flying towards us and we closed the door again.

Shikamaru: This sucks.

Haru: It's father's fault, we need to talk to him.

Seconds later the door opened and dad came out,

Shikakaku: Why didn't i marry a gentler women?

Maru and me both started laughing about dad.

Dad was annoyed and started walking.

Haru: Dad please wait a moment, I have something for you.

I quickly opened the door and ran into the kitchen and got a big brown bag from the wardrobe.

I ran back outside and gave the bag to dad. Dad opened the bag.

Shikaku: What is this my son?

Haru: I call them pretzels.

I baked them this morning after my workout.

I think they're a good pairing with alcohol, so I was wondering if you'd like to try them and hand them out around the bar?

If people like them, the owner might be interested in the recipe and we could make a deal with him.

Dad and Maru were both surprised to hear that.

Dad thought for a moment and agreed.

He was actually proud of me for having such an understanding of marketing, but he didn't want to show it openly.

So he said goodbye to us with a bored look.

But as he walked down the street, he couldn't help but smile.

Me and Shikamaru then went home and also ate some pretzels for dinner with mom and then went to bed.

The next morning I jumped out of my bed, went to brush my teeth and then did my morning exercise.

When I was done, I went to wash in the shower and woke up Shikamaru.

I was super excited and jumped around him waking him up.

Shikamaru was bored and turned around again.

I spoke into his ear: Today we get our chakra channels opened, please wake up bro!!

I made a pout that Maru couldn't ignore and he stood up annoyed.

Maru washed himself quickly and then we both went down to mom.

Who had already served the breakfast and asked both of us: Are you two already nervous?

Haru: Mom I can't wait any longer for my first Jutsu's.

Maru groaned, but also nodded.

Haru: Where is dad?

Yoshino: He's already gone, he had to prepare a few things for the ceremony, since he was too busy drinking yesterday, this unreliable... .

So we'll meet him at the Yamanaka compound.

When we finished breakfast, we headed to the Yamanaka clan compound.

Once there we were greeted directly by Choza and Choji.

Choza: Good morning Yoshino, your Kids look ready for the ceremony.

I have heard yesterday from Shikaku that Shikaharu made this prezel himself, they were great to eat with the drinks.

Choza threw a smile straight at me.

Yoshino: Yeah, we ate them also yesterday, my little man did great.

Choza: Can we have the recipe for them, Choji will eat them too?

Haru: I will sell the recipe to the bar when they want it and Choji can come everyday to us to eat something, but I Must first make new ones, because we ate them all.

Choza: Then i will wait to eat them next time at the bar.

I then saw Ino with her father and dad.

We walked over with our group.

Haru: Hi Ino nice to meet you.

Ino blushed and hid behind her father.

Ino: Oh, Haru you are here too,nice to meet you.

Haru: When does the ceremony start Ino? Ino: Dad said in 10 minutes, because not all participants have arrived yet.

I hope I can do it.

Dad said sometimes people fail to awaken their chakra channels.

Haru: Ino you will make it, as well as me, Shikamaru and Choji.

We all will make it and get stronger together and learn cool jutsu's.

But why are you so red, are you so nervous?

Ino blushed even more.

Ino: Yeah I'm really nervous.

Haru: Just take a deep breath in and breath out, that will help you relax.

Suddenly drums started to play and Inoichi went on the stage and asked all the seedlings to come forward.

We all went on the stage and he gave all seedlings a scroll, which we should memorize and later imitate when introducing a foreign chakra into our body, to open our chakra paths as quickly as possible.

I was the first one to memorize the scroll and needed 2 minutes, then Shikamaru followed with 5 minutes and then Ino with 7 minutes and finally Choji with 8 minutes.

However, there were also many other participants, all in all there were 14.

It took a good 30 minutes for everyone to learn the scroll.

Then Inoichi with 13 other ninjas stepped behind us and they inserted their chakra down in our backs.

We now had to focus on our chakra and push the foreign chakra out of their body, after our charkra points were opened.

This then triggers a small chakra impulse.

I could feel the chakra moving in my body.

It was a warm feeling and after just a minute my body was sending out a little blue chakra pulse, to which the audience applauded.

Then a single drum beat to remind all spectators that there were many other participants.

The drum beat every time someone managed to send out the impulse.

The 2nd ceremony lasted a total of 40 minutes.

There were 10 people from the 3 clans who were able to awaken their chakra network.

After we were finished, the drums played continuously for 20 minutes.

I left the stage with Shikamaru, Choji and Ino.

Ino hugged me and said:

"Thank you for believing in me."

I was also a bit embarrassed.

Haru: You don't need to thank me for it.

We went to our parents who cheered for us all the time.

A festival then followed to celebrate the new seedlings, it was like a classic Japanese folk festival that lasted late into the evening.