56 Johns teaches his best technique (2/2)

Franklin rubs his forehead while feeling wronged, he mumbles, ”I don't see the difference.”

John grabs him by the arm and drags him towards the rapids. ”Enough! I'd have more luck teaching that bull then you. Do you want to learn the technique or not?” John asks.

”I want to learn, ”Franklin replies with determination.

” Good, ” John replies, pleased. ”Now look out onto the river, what do you see?” John asks while extending his arm to the mountainous scene.

”A Mountain and river?” Franklin answers hesitantly.

”Indeed now watch, ” John states. He then waves his arm, and a boulder that was blocking the rapids falls away.

The river is unleashed on the lands below like a dragon waking from its slumber. Stones tumble, and the ground is torn up. No plant or animal left in its wake.

Franklin didn't understand what he was supposed to see. 'Is it an explosive technique like this river?' he wonders. 'No, ' he decides. 'He made it clear that it wasn't a destructive technique.' Franklin scans the scene once more as he did all he saw was destruction. Every time his eyes swept the mountain, it was the same. The same river flooding the same cliffs and the same tree about to be swallowed by the torrent.

'Wait! The same tree?' Franklin asks himself. He hadn't noticed before because it always looked on the brink of falling. As the flooding slowly stops, the tree's roots are exposed. Though it leans precariously, it's the only plant still standing.

”The first step is to be like this tree. Surviving through a torrent that washes everything away. You must learn to go beyond yourself for and stand against the impossible,” John says. He then grabs Franklin and flys over to the tree.

”Woah!” Franklin grabs tightly onto John's arm in fear but finds that he's as light as a feather. 'You're dreaming idiot,” the boy admonishes himself. When they land, Franklin replaces the tree.

”Now you must withstand these boulders until you break your limit,” Franklin explains.

Franklin begins to reject, but before he can see a boulder with a one-foot diameter falls down the mountain towards him. Franklin tries to dodge the rock as it careens towards him, but he finds himself stuck in place. He can lift his legs and make but no matter how he moves or jumps no movement is achieved.

In the end, Franklin tries to stop the rock with his foot. As he kicks out with his foot, he's bowled over by the momentum of the stone. ”Ouch,” he complains while rubbing his backside.

John laughs, ”this is only the start don't give up yet. You'll have to get used to circulating your energy and balancing.”

As John laughs more stones of the same size fall down one after another. Soon Franklin is bruised and battered from being toppled over and over. Eventually, though he stops the stone by getting on his knees and bracing with his whole body.

”I did it!” Franklin celebrates while looking giddily at John floating above.

”Good, now you can do something a little bigger,” John replies nonchalantly. Just as he said now, a two-foot diameter boulder falls towards the beleaguered boy.