[It could be a combination of all three, really. Maybe it's the sheer force of his own determination. Who can say.
Tenten actually flies over him at first, not actually recognizing the man below as her sensei at first glance; she's busy trying to figure out what these weird Plot Crystals are that have been cropping up all over the area. But hey, there's a whole bunch of Tyrogue down there, and she'd been thinking about catching another one. So she swoops down, sunlight glinting on the razor-sharp wings of her Skarmory, before she almost falls off the bird.]
Gai-sensei?!
[Don't mind your student just hovering there in midair in front of him. Riding a giant steel bird.]
SCREAMS
Tenten actually flies over him at first, not actually recognizing the man below as her sensei at first glance; she's busy trying to figure out what these weird Plot Crystals are that have been cropping up all over the area. But hey, there's a whole bunch of Tyrogue down there, and she'd been thinking about catching another one. So she swoops down, sunlight glinting on the razor-sharp wings of her Skarmory, before she almost falls off the bird.]
Gai-sensei?!
[Don't mind your student just hovering there in midair in front of him. Riding a giant steel bird.]