Back to the Grind {Open}

[Kakashi Hatake]

Kakashi had stepped out of the Hokage's Office in high spirits, his latest mission had gone well and now that he was back, some well earned downtime was in order. Sarutobi-sama didn't seem to want him for anything else in particular, there were no more missions which really warranted his level of skill and expertise... there was just that one other thing. The Third expected him, once again, to take up a squad of Genin. After he had flunked countless squads from multiple graduating classes, he now wanted Kakashi to do the whole thing again. After he hadn't asked last year Kakashi didn't think he ever would again, but then again this year was something of a special graduation. Though ostensibly teams were sorted and assigned at random, Kakashi knew that a cohesive ninja unit could not simply be cobbled together from utterly divergent elements and he could make an educated guess towards at least one of the Genin he'd be getting. Maybe two at that, but the third remained a “wild card” of sorts.

Back on the streets, Kakashi stared idly up at the clouds and sighed. 'Hoo-boy, this ought to be interesting,' he thought aloud, since there didn't seem to be many people around. Not that he wouldn't have if there were, Kakashi wasn't much for social intricacies or expectations, but he figured talking to oneself in the street sent the wrong messages. Then again, he wasn't too bothered about that either. Much more important was the upcoming survival test he'd need to arrange, he could go straight to book a training ground in advance, but he really did want that downtime especially in light of this most recent development. Besides that, there was someone he really should have visited, or he could just kick back a while and read some Icha Icha. That sounded most appealing to his mind, still taut and alert as it was from the rush of a high ranked mission.

That was that decided, he'd find a quiet spot somewhere, read some Icha Icha before going to book a training ground for a few days later and then visit Obito before the sun went down. That was how he set things out in his head at least and to be entirely fair even Kakashi probably already knew on some level that wouldn't be how it played out. He could delude himself at least for a while before he found himself back in that place, staring at the carved stone. He honestly didn't mean to stay so long a lot of the time. Actually showing up showed enough consideration for his dear departed friends no matter how long he might stay, but Kakashi's solipsismal reflection was in its own way like Asuma's smoking in that the habit only abated when they were in an aggravated mindset.

So seeing as how his day was more or less set out, he decided to tackle the first item of business right away and reached into his pocket to withdraw his copy of Icha Icha Paradise. He'd read it cover to cover a couple of times now and the bindings showed how well he'd enjoyed it as on this particular copy (even with the care and peculiar reverence Kakashi treated his Icha Icha books with) it seemed as though it was about to fall off. Opening up at a random page (because he knew it just that well) Kakashi dipped his eye towards the page and began to walk, ill advised perhaps but it seemed to work at as he went three chapters without bumping into anyone. Granted the chapters in this volume were quite short at points and he had to walk up a wall at one point to avoid traffic, but he wasn't about to let that diminish his achievement.

After a while he looked up, he was at that point five chapters in and the sun was directly overhead... at least he was relaxed. 'I should probably go see him now.'

[Konohamaru Sarutobi]

So this was the man the shinobi had heard so much about. Hatake Kakashi, the copy ninja of the Hidden Leaf Village. Even from his nearby hiding place, in a temporarily abandoned house whose occupants were off tending to their affairs, the shinobi could already tell exactly why this man's reputation preceded him. He walked with something of a relaxed, almost comical stride, luring most enemies into a false sense of security in regards to exactly how seriously he took things. Not to mention, there was almost assuredly some form of weapon hidden under that black cloth he always kept over his skin, most likely of the small yet deadly variety. You see, the shinobi had been stalking Kakashi for a very long time now. Gracefully, he dove from hiding place to hiding place, making sure that there were no witnesses or (if there were), taking care of them with the utmost precision and mercilessness. This man posessed some form of skill, the likes of which the shinobi knew not, that allowed him to master an extraordinary amount of jutsu. This ability seemed to have evolved so much that the man was now on a level approaching that of the Hokage, which is exactly why the shinobi was so interested in him.

Running a finger over one of his kunai, the shinobi could hardly keep himself from tossing one toward the man in the hopes of a lucky hit. But he would not, that would be something an amateur did. He was a professional when it came to stalking his prey and striking only when absolutely necessary and perfectly timed. He was so skilled, in fact, that he did not allow his reputation to precede him, but rather stifled all accounts of his actions with a deadly blow. The shinobi had everything going for him when it came to a legendary background, after all. He had spent nearly his entire life training and comparing himself to the most powerful warriors around them. Along with this, his longing for power was nigh insatiable, and his own pedigree refused to let him be anything but spectacular. This had all the makings of a tale of mythology, but instead it was a story of reality (much to the woe of all those who might oppose him).

Finally, taking his kunai in hand as the man turned his attention from his book (which was undoubtedly an integral part of his strategy) to the road ahead of him, the shinobi tossed it from the shadows toward the copy ninja, bursting from the shadows at a speed unheard of even amongst the most learned of shinobi. He knew the man's weakness; in fact, he had spent days analyzing this Hatake Kakashi character before finally allowing himself to go ahead with his plot of assassination. Yes, while the shinobi had a longing for power, he knew that a shinobi such as Kakashi would not give up the secret to his power under any conditions. He respected him for that, and resolved to give him the honorable end that any shinobi would be willing to receive: a swift death from a worthy opponent. He reached into his pocket and, grasping yet another kunai, spun in place before throwing it toward the man once more in the direction of his momentum. This was one of the shinobi's ultimate techniques: it allowed for more power to be put behind the kunai, thereby increasing any damage done. Along with this, it increased the speed at which the projectile approached, thereby effectively sealing Kakashi's fate.

The shinobi had moved with such swiftness that he knew Kakashi would hardly have time to react to the second attack. He would likely dodge the first, the shinobi gave him enough credit for that, but he would most likely be harmed by the second. The shinobi had aimed for a very specific target, that being the big toe on the man's right foot. Without this vital part of his foot, Kakashi would be unable to remain fleet-footed, and would inevitably fall victim to the shinobi's superior skills. Sure, this target may seem impossible for the typical shinobi, and might even be regarded by some as ludicrous, but that's why they were forced to abide by the village's laws, regulations, and educational system, and this shinobi was out hunting his rivals.

Urging himself forward once more, with a speed that would be nigh untraceable even for one such as Kakashi, the shinobi could feel the blood lust in his mind begin to grow as he knew the kill was coming close. In fact, he may have been a bit too ahead of himself, because he happened to trip on a piece of loose clothing hanging from his neck, and fell with a start to the ground. Tending his wounds, the shinobi wondered if this would be the end of him. He knew they would tell legends and stories of his exploits for years upon years: about how he had taken down his opponent, but had fallen in battle while doing so. He would be a hero whose name would forever be remembered, and the Hokage would hang his head in shame for knowledge that he could never measure up to this legend of a man.

Tears sprang to the young shinobi's eyes as he saw visions of the monument they would erect in his honor. The dead, stone Kakashi would be sprawled on the foundation of the monument, and the heroic figure of Konohamaru Sarutobi would stand, triumphant yet defeated by the hands of fate, a symbol to all future warriors of impeccable skill and immovable honor.

[Kakashi Hatake]

Kakashi paused mid step, letting the two kunai stream harmlessly by and skid along the ground as his assailant dealt with himself anyway. At which point he had a fun idea, not in his usual vein, but he was basically spit balling as to how he'd spend the rest of his day anyway. It wasn't as though a diversion like this would keep him from anything important in particular... though there was something... something about a training ground? Had Gai challenged him to sumo again, was that why he needed one? No... it probably wasn't important. Glancing at the fallen kunai he shifted his gaze to its point of origin.

Okay, I'll bite. It's not like I've got much better to do, but if this is just a really short ninja masquerading as a child like last time then I'm getting a new job. I hear they're making an Icha Icha movie soon...

'You're doing it wrong,' a voice said from up above Konohamaru. All of a sudden Kakashi was standing on the ceiling of the room which had served as the young boy's latest hiding spot, a wisp of thin white smoke hung around him. He'd see just who this little punk was before deciding who else's problem it was and turning the boy over; maybe have a little fun in the process. All at his assailant's expense of course. He turned the page as the last remnants of his Shunshin dissipated. 'You used your own momentum to speed up your projectile during its release, there was some good theory behind that second attack for an Academy Student, too good in fact. See, the added rotational force,' without looking up from his book Kakashi raised a finger and spun it around to illustrate his point, 'gave your attack extra speed, but caused it to veer off to the side.' He flipped over to the next page, again without looking and continued in his step by step assessment. 'Because of its shape, you'll never hit anything if you throw a kunai like that. That's more of a shuriken technique.'

Lifting his free hand he stroked his chin as he continued distributing his sage counsel, still not moving his eye from his book, he was just getting to the best part. Heh, stupid, you can't say that in a sushi bar.

'It took me a full five or six metres to realise I was being followed though. It might have taken nine or ten if you'd actually acted like you weren't following someone. Being seen isn't the same as being noticed, what do they actually teach you in that Academy these days anyhow?' Placing his free hand in his pocket he finally looked up (or in this case down) towards his diminutive attacker. This was lucky for him, perhaps a little time spent teaching might be just what he needed to take his mind off of teaching... or something like that.

He snapped his book closed with a crushing finality and stowed it away safely in his back pocket, not taking his eye off of the boy for a second. Not because he needed to watch his movements, but because he wanted to gauge his reactions. 'You know if you wanted a lesson in shurikenjutsu you could've just asked? I'd have said no, but you could've asked.' Kakashi's lone eye widened for a second when he realised just who he had been talking to, Konohamaru Sarutobi, the Third's grandson who (as Kakashi had heard at least) had spent all his time recently attacking his grandfather. As with most things Sandaime had greeted this with a warm smile... Kakashi was not nearly so accommodating and though no one would be any the wiser because of his mask he was clearly unhappy with this turn of events.

Does this make me his new 'target?' Well... that's just great. Kakashi might have presently had all the time in the world, but by all the accounts he'd heard of this one he doubted seriously that he had anything like enough patience

[Kenta Haruki]

What a beautiful day. There aren't many people in which to disturb Asuma's thoughts. He also didn't have to worry about smoke getting into people's faces. So, he lit up a cigarette and started walking. The biggest thing on his mind was his squad. Who would these genin be in which he would train in the art of the shinobi. They will succeed or fail based on his abilities to teach and protect them. What would he do when he first met them? Would he test their teamwork skills, individual strength, intellect, would they even be compatable. He thought seeing if there was a simple mission, he might be able to take his mind off the subject. He wasn't nervous, but his thoughts couldn't stop revolving around the subject. He went to the hokage building but figured he shouldn't bother the third with his trivial wants, he is a very busy man.

He'll just go to Kurenai's place. Yeah, that will do, she could get his mind off of the matter. That would be a good plan, if she wasn't away on a mission of her own. After a long sigh, Asuma realized he had been walking for a decent amount of time. The area he was in seemed to get less inhabited than previously. He threw his cigarette on the ground and stomped on it. He put his hands in his pockets and continued on. Some natue viewing would be nice, away from the city and the noises.

He could train in the time he had left before he got his students. He wouldn't want to be lacking in any department for first impressions. Honestly though, Asuma isn't the one that needs to make a good first impression. Also, the need of his skills or assets are a high improbablity. After all, they are just genin. He sensed something up ahead. There seemed to be two shinobi. He then heard something. It was the sound of kunai being thrown. Someone could just be training, but he took the safe route and disappeared into some nearby trees. Once there, he could see the scene totally.

It was Kakashi reading a book in the middle of a somewhat open field by an abandoned building. As he go to the tree and was looking, Kakashi had already dodged the kunai. He looked around and saw the kunai must have come from the building given there path of flight. As he had guessed, Kakashi disappeared, no doubt into the building. Kakashi was a very formidable shinobi, but he decided to go check things out just to be safe.

He took some time and when he got to a window he saw Kakashi on the ceiling talking to somebody. At a closer look he saw who the person was. Asuma was very surprised. Kakashi seemed to have been talking and then appeared in the building in an instant. He lit a cigarette and looked up at Kakashi and then at Konohamaru. "You're not being a nuisance to this nice man, are you Konohamaru?"

[Konohamaru Sarutobi]

As the shinobi prepared to embrace whatever afterlife came his way, he suddenly felt a presence standing above him with a certain amount of authority. Could this be the figure of one of his ancestors, come to congratulate him on a life well lead? The thought made Konohamaru happy, and a wide grin spread across his face. He opened his eyes to greet whomever might lie behind those lids, and was met with a vision that surprised him completely, and not in a positive manner. The Jounin shinobi, Kakashi, was standing above him, looking down on him with eyes that lacked both concern over his situation and respect for the boy below him. It was this very look that infuriated Konohamaru whenever anyone, whether Hokage or Genin, directed it toward him. It was a look that not only made clear how little that particular person thought of him, but also how nonthreatening they thought he was.

The man began to speak to him in a rather matter-of-fact sounding voice; lecturing him, just as they all tried to do at the academy. This was exactly why he refused to attend classes when he could help it. The smug sense of superiority that all of the higher ranked shinobi felt over the Genin they presided over made him sick to his stomach, and he always found himself acting out, even when he hadn't intended to, simply because he didn't want things to go according to their expectations. Though he tried to ignore the man, Konohamaru's sensory prowess meant he couldn't help but hearing the man's explanation. Scoffing at the man, he couldn't help but feel bad for him, in that ignorance to one's own lack of knowledge was even more fatal than ineptitude that one accepts.

”You don't know anything!” exclaimed Konohamaru, taking a few steps back from the man to increase the area between them. ”I'm gonna be the greatest and most powerful shinobi in Konohagakure! You're just going to go down in the history books as a man who was too ugly to show his face.” Ending his short rant against the man, Konohamaru suddenly stopped and reflected on the attack. Now...what had gone wrong? Had his aim merely been off? No, that wasn't possible, he was the great Konohamaru, he didn't miss. Then what could it be? Pondering, he brought his index and middle fingers up to stroke his chin thoughtfully, and then suddenly snapped out of his trance.

”Wait, I've got it! There was too much floatatinal force behind the attack! That meant the kunai floated too much to the side, because kunai aren't as good as shuriken!” He grinned wide once more, inwardly admiring his own genius. He knew that he would be disciplined by this man for making him look like an ignorant fool, but he couldn't help but flaunt his superior knowledge of the way of the shinobi. Jealousy from others was something that Konohamaru had to live with each and every day, and he was used to Genin, Chuunin, and yes, even Jounin admiring and yet envying him for his natural talent. The copy ninja Kakashi was no exception.

Feeling a presence behind him, Konohamaru turned with a start to see that his uncle, Asuma Sarutobi, had entered the scene. Although he had never officially beaten him in a spar between shinobi, Konohamaru understood that it was a well-known fact that Asuma was considered something of a failure next to him. He could understand Asuma being bitter toward him, and as such disliking him like so many others did. However, one thing he could pride Asuma on was that in spite of all of these factors, he had always been exceptionally kind to his nephew. Konohamaru supposed that was just the kind of person he was, and although the attitude Asuma adopted in regards to his own talents annoyed him just as that of many other Jounin did, he could at least put up with it with the knowledge that he was a good man, not just a power hungry politician like so many others.

Responding to him, Konohamaru had to take into account the fact that Asuma didn't really understand the situation he'd walked in on. Obviously he couldn't comprehend taking on a shinobi as powerful as Kakashi, and as such he might believe Konohamaru couldn't dream of such a thing either. Konohamaru had no intention of educating his uncle at this point in time, so he figured he would just play along somewhat with his beliefs, rather than bursting his bubble and having to mop up the aftermath. ”I wasn't being a nuisance, I was showing how much better I am than him, Uncle.” Konohamaru explained. ”Someone must have been watching, and tripped me because they don't like me. If it hadn't been for that, then I would have had him. You should have seen, I'm sure you could have learned a few things!” Konohamaru smiled reassuringly, and added, ”Though I'm sure you've got a lot to teach me as well!”

He doubted this very much, but in truth he liked his uncle, and didn't want him to feel upset because he couldn't shine as brightly as Konohamaru on the family tree. In fact, maybe Kakashi felt similarly to his uncle in this situation. Although he had tried to tell him what he did wrong, maybe that was just him trying to save his own self-esteem in the face of a clearly superior attack. This was a pretty sad situation, actually. Two old shinobi feeling inferior to a younger, more skilled warrior. Maybe he could give them a gift. Something they could go home and tell their friends and family. He could just imagine how thrilled Asuma's friend Kurenai would be when she heard about his conflict with the legendary leaf warrior.

”So, any ideas about what I should do next? I'm looking for a new victim.” Turning to Kakashi, he looked him right in the eye. ”My grandfather said he'll step down as Hokage if I bring down a worthy opponent. So if I can't find anyone else...I guess I'll just have to keep you as my target.”

[Kakashi Hatake]

Kakashi outright dismissed the boy's first outburst as simply what it was, a petulant child wailing at someone trying to teach him... in which case a more soft handed approach might be necessary. He was, however, quite pleased at the fact that Konohamaru went on to repeat his own prior statement almost word for word. Even if his ego necessitated that he present it as his own idea, what Kakashi had said must have sunk in on some level... or at least he hoped that was the reason why. He didn't have much time to mull it over as the two of them were soon joined by Asuma. Under his mask, Kakashi smiled, Konohamaru's excuses reminded him somewhat vaguely of Obito's and it would be untrue to say this did not warm his heart a little. 'It's no trouble, Konohamaru-kun was just dying to try out a new shuriken technique he'd prepared. Unfortunately it still needs a little work, but I'm sure he'll get it down.'

Dropping from the ceiling Kakashi twisted in the air, landing half crouched before straightening and returning his hands to his pockets. It was in all likelihood a mix of nostalgia and a desire to fob him off with kindness that saw Kakashi covering for the much younger lad. After all, he only wanted to be a good shinobi. He might have been going about it in the wrong way and with purely self centred intentions, but that was what kids were like anyway, the goal in and of itself was admirable. Enough so that Kakashi did not feel entirely repulsed at his overall demeanour, besides which he was a Sarutobi and that made him interesting to those who knew the ninja world whether he wished to acknowledge it or not.

Another idea had crept its way into Kakashi's head, a way to satisfy Konohamaru's need for competition, teach him something AND keep him out of Kakashi's hair all in one. Staring into the middle distance he crossed his arms and spoke. 'Hm, well that really is a problem then, I guess there aren't many targets in Konohagakure bigger than me, huh?' A little self satisfied, but certainly not ungrounded, he might not have the greatest mission streak in the whole village but he was a decent contender for it and his name had certainly gotten big while he himself hadn't been paying that much attention.

With a shrug he continued. 'Ah well, guess there's nothing for it. We'll just have to go have a showdown outside.' As he looked down at the young shinobi to speak his face had reverted to almost a complete blank. For all any casual observer might have known he was completely serious, though he expected Asuma to know he was going somewhere with it. It was pretty simple, if he could get through to the kid that he couldn't beat him with his skills as they were it might galvanise him into improving. If he threw in an incentive himself then that might just be the icing on the cake.

'Alright then, we'll do this fairly. Outside, ten paces, one weapon of choice each and Asuma can oversee for us, how's that sound Konohamaru-kun?'

[Kenta Haruki]

Asuma took a puff of his cigarette as he heard Konohamaru describe his excellence. He stated he was better than Kakashi which almost made him spit out his cigarette and laugh but he had to give it to the kid, he was bold. Asuma, however, had little to nothing to learn from Konohamaru but he liked to make him feel otherwise. So, Kakashi is his new target? Asuma thought to himself, that might make the third happy.

Kakashi then spoke up. Asuma was glad, Kakashi wasn't annoyed or upset by Konohamaru's actions. Asuma watched Kakashi drop to the floor of the building and strike a very relaxed pose. Saying there aren't many targets bigger than himself gave Asuma some mixed feelings. Kakashi is either being pretty obnoxious and self-satisfying or leaving room to make Asuma think he could possibly up there. He could only be talking about the third as being stronger too. Honestly, Asuma didn't really care, but felt enough to think about it. He liked to think of them as at least close, but then again they've never fought. Hopefully, it will stay that way.

He listened to Kakashi again. A showdown, Kakashi is really going along with this. Asuma thought. He said that Asuma could oversee but didn't really ask. Asuma felt pretty obligated to do this now, but hey, it gets his mind off of his team...crap. Getting a headstart, Asuma decided to just Body Flicker out there fast like. Once he got out there, he chose an open spot large enough for the two to take steps and stood in what he thought was the center. By this time he was finished with his cigarette. He spit it on the ground and stomped it out. Feeling like relaxing also, Asuma put his hands in his pockets and awaited the other two shinobi.

[Konohamaru Sarutobi]

This was the opportunity Konohamaru had waited for from the very moment he’d been born into this world of bloodshed, tyranny, and war. The opportunity to prove, once and for all, his superiority to all those around him. Kakashi did display a certain amount of hubris in suggesting that there were no shinobi in all of Konohagakure that were superior to him, however, that wasn’t going to be a problem for much longer. After all, a battle with the great Konohamaru would knock anyone down a step or two on the ladder of self-respect, and this would be no exception. It also pleased him that his uncle had gone along with his ensnarement of the copy-ninja; clearly, one who has come from the same honorable line as the magnificent Konohamaru understood the workings of the world, and would therefore act in the best interests of all those involved. The young shinobi knew that Asuma wanted to give Kakashi a reality check just as much as he did, and that fed into his agreeing with Kakashi’s near suicidal request that the two of them have a battle of skill to determine who, truly, deserves the bragging rights that would go to the winner.

Konohamaru did hope, however, that Kakashi knew exactly what he was getting into. After all, he couldn’t be expected to hold all of his sheer power and force back in a contest such as this. He had destroyed many a foolish opponent in this manner in the past, and he could not say that the visions of those fallen enemies did not occasionally come back to haunt the boy. He could just see one of them now: one young opponent had been dispatched while in the middle of lunch at the academy, unaware that the great Konohamaru had taken the liberty of soiling his lunch in an absolutely ingenious manner, in that it required nothing more than his own body (the picture of physical perfection), and a large amount of water. He’d fallen to the ground in shock as he realized he’d been duped, before Konohamaru sprang into action, quickly incapacitating his foe with a spinning kick to the back. Looking back, he supposed he’d hit the boy with more of his back than his leg or foot, but the effect was still apparent. Quickly fleeing the scene so as to avoid unwanted attention from both his fans and those who wished to do him harm, this was one mission that went completely successfully.

But what was the price? After all, the boy had had a family; a clan, just as he had. Was it really his place to determine who got to live in this grand world, and who would be forced to deal with the unknown problems associated with the afterlife? This very question had haunted the young boy several times over the course of his life, and sometimes he found it nearly too difficult to go on. Yet still, he found a certain fortitude within him somewhere to fight back his demons, and continue on his righteous quest to be the very greatest in all of Konohagakure. He’d discarded all guilt and regret he’d had in exchange for power, and sought to satisfy this thirst that he felt: the thirst to prove his superiority to all others.

And so, after this rather long inner-monologue that Konohamaru had going for a time, he found that his uncle had already gone to prepare the grounds on which this contest would be staged. Following as quickly as he could, Konohamaru could hardly wait for this contest to start. As he arrived, he could see his uncle beaming with pride as he knew what was inevitably to come after this battle. Preparing himself both mentally as well as emotionally for this slaughter, the young shinobi awaited the entrance of his doomed opponent.

(OOC – Sorry guys, a LOT shorter than my norm. Been very busy, and not much motivation now, but wanted to get one up so you guys could continue the thread.)

[Kakashi Hatake]

Not wanting to waste any more of his chakra Kakashi elected to walk outside rather than use Shunshin no Jutsu, though it might have impressed another shinobi of Konohamaru's level Kakashi knew full well that he was too involved in himself to care much. He was labouring under a genuine delusion that he could match veteran ninja such as he, Asuma and Hokage-sama with petty trickery, pretty good trickery for an impetuous young man but still not enough. Far be it for Kakashi to believe he could completely disillusion someone whom he had only just met, but what he was interested in was the source of that delusion, by his ambition Konohamaru betrayed a drive which it was difficult not to respect even if it was currently misdirected.

He has a good ambition about him... but there's a lesson or two he needs to pick up on before he can become a great shinobi. Kakashi reflected on one such lesson as he joined Asuma and Konohamaru outside. 'The most important thing for a shinobi is teamwork.' Right. That's what sensei always used to say. In shinobi combat it's not always the strongest or smartest who wins the day, but if the strongest and smartest work together they're effectively invincible. Kakshi was well aware that it wasn't a lesson which could be taught during any single encounter and it was probably one which he himself was ill-equipped to deliver as solitary as he'd become. The first step was humility, knowing that one wasn't perfect on their own... or he guessed so, that was what the bell test was about, right?

'Alright, this looks good, thanks for doing this, Asuma-san. It's a real help.' He dipped a hand into his weapon pouch, feigning that he was looking around for just the right thing before withdrawing it holding a single shuriken. 'This should be enough to deal with you,' his voice lowered as he continued, his brow arching down into a frown. 'It'll be over in a flash.' He broke out of his overly serious demeanour with a smile barely noticeable because of his obscured features, his voice gaining a higher and more upbeat pitch as he went on. 'Though if you do well enough I promise I'll show you something cool.'

Kakashi raised his free hand, forming the Seal of Confrontaion, a courtesy he did not expect from his opponent but one he thought necessary. Kakashi wished to make it clear that whatever passed between them they were not enemies. Although... Konohamaru genuinely seemed to have nothing against him personally, to him challenging Kakashi was a means to an end, a decent attitude that was indeed. In many ways Konohamaru was a fair shinobi, but in the realms of skill and direction he was painfully deficient. From what Kakashi had heard of him he paid no heed to instructors inside or outside of the Academy, misplaced pride in all likelihood, fanatical self dependence. Understandable given his situation. Though Kakashi never had felt smothered in the shadow of the White Fang, he could understand the boy a little because of it even if he knew he didn't have the whole picture.

Alright then, now what are you going to bring up to face me Konohamaru-kun?

[Kenta Haruki]

Asuma stood outside for a very little time before Konohamaru left the building. He was walking towards Asuma, not worried and seemed very sure of himself. This was dictated by his gait which was not faltering or lacking confidence. This amused Asuma seeing as he knew Kakashi and how powerful he was. If this were a fight between him and Kakashi he would be pretty scared. Asuma knew in all likelihood Kakashi would only hold back to an extent. Considering his strictness with all others he has taught, he wasn't just going to go belly up and pretend Konohamaru defeated him. Asuma assumed Kakashi would try to get this done with fast not wanting to spend his entire day sparring with the likes of his silly and sure of himself nephew.

It was then when Kakashi came out. He didn't use Body Flicker or his incredible speed, he just walked out. It fit him, Asuma thought, seeing as how he's pretty laid back like himself. He must not be in as big as a hurry as he had previously thought. Watching Kakashi approach, Asuma though to himself how Kakashi is going to go about doing this. He looked at Konohamaru and he seemed as confident as ever. How naive a child he is. A smile appeared on his face as Kakashi appeared by them.

It's no problem at all. I'm just here to make sure neither of you guys kills the other one. Asuma said responding to Kakashi's thanks. As Kakashi said This should be enough to deal with you, and it will be over in a flash while reaching into his weapon pouch, Asuma assumed he didn't even grab anything. Then, Asuma wondered what the cool thing is that Kakashi would teach Konohamaru.

After seeing Kakashi do the seal of confrontation, Asuma figured he should start this match. He took a breath, blew out some smoke, and started talking. You are both shinobi so feel free to use all of your skills. I'll be here in case it gets too hectic. He took about ten steps back and turned back around. The best of luck to both of you. He then raised his hand in the air and dropped it to his side, signaling for the fight to begin.

[Konohamaru Sarutobi]

As the boy prepared for the upcoming bout, he couldn't help but feel slightly sorry for his opponent. Although this man, Kakashi, had most certainly made a name for himself through his service to the village, that is what would end up being his downfall. Although his name echoed that of the village (a fact which he hated beyond all reasonable explanation), Konohamaru held the element of surprise on his side. Rumors were whispered between shinobi of his prowess, but never could anyone define exactly what his style entailed. The boy supposed this was due to the fact that he was more adaptive than any warrior he could imagine. Whenever possible, he used his enemy's weaknesses, and even their strengths, against them. As such, it was fitting that the hubris of the so-called “Copy Ninja” in flaunting his own station in life would eventually lead to his defeat. As he observed his counterpart in this battle choosing a single shuriken has his weapon of choice, he could hardly stop himself from scoffing at such an amateur mistake. While, as he had brilliantly deduced within the past few minutes, shuriken were indeed better than kunai (which seemed to be entirely worthless), that fact made such a choice the obvious one. There was not one thing about this shuriken that worried Konohamaru. Indeed, he had spent his short childhood playing with toys that were fairly similar to this weapon, and as such, he knew exactly how to estimate its path of trajectory, and avoid it entirely. This Kakashi, for all that was said of him, did not yet realize that in order to win in such a bout of legends, one had to go with the unconventional, or unorthodox tactic.

”It's no problem at all. I'm just here to make sure neither of you guys kills the other one.”

Hearing his Uncle say this, Konohamaru turned his head in his direction and smiled in a somewhat reassuring manner. He could understand Asuma being worried about whatever fate might befall Kakashi upon the conclusion of this fight. After all, other than the boy's grandfather, his Uncle was probably most well-versed in his exceptional fighting technique. The smile was meant to send a fairly clear message to him, that he would not have to worry about the life of his friend. Konohamaru was certainly a dangerous foe, but he had his honor. This was to be a respectful duel between two shinobi, and as such Konohamaru would stop short of murder, although he could not promise that Kakashi would not decide life wasn't worth living after the humiliation he was about to experience. Thinking on that, Konohamaru wondered if the obvious stress Asuma was exhibiting was not so much the result of his anxiousness over Kakashi's fate, but rather that of himself. The Copy Ninja has so callously volunteered his Uncle for the dangerous job of overseeing this clash of titans, and now he was worried he would be caught in the middle. Indeed, even if the two Jounin were to team up in an attempt to stay his power, Konohamaru doubted very much he could avoid injuring them. Sometimes it's very difficult to hold back and not crush on an ant in the process of steeping on it, as Konohamaru had experienced time and time again in his travels. Still, he would do his best to avoid allowing Asuma to get caught up in the crossfire of their bout, and with any luck the man could return home with his life. If not, then he doubted very much any in the village would blame him. After all, such power is occasionally difficult to wield.

Realizing that it was now his turn to choose a single weapon for the fight, he thought for a moment. As previously stated, it was Kakashi's own idiocy that had caused him to choose such a common and recognizable weapon. To find victory, Konohamaru would need to think outside of the box a bit, and as his mind wandered in an attempt to resolve this issue, he suddenly had a revelation. The answer had been right there on his head the entire time. Dropping all other equipment he happened to be holding, Konohamaru reached to his head and allowed Kakashi to see something that very few had seen in their lives. The young boy removed the helmet he wore nearly constantly, allowing his hair to flow out, absolutely messy and unkempt. It was obvious that getting Konohamaru to wash himself was a struggle, as his hair was not necessarily disgusting, but certainly somewhat greasy, which only added to this appearance. He had considered choosing his scarf, but that was a fight for another day. Instead, his helmet would serve as both a weapon and a shield. Holding it concave, and it could easily provide a way to trap the shuriken. However, switching to its convex side, it was a hard object capable of bashing an enemy into submission. Indeed, he was covering all bases with this choice, and as he watched his Uncle recite to them his explanation of the situation, Konohamaru began to ready himself for the battle. He saw Asuma draw back from the future scene of a massacre slightly, and watched him begin to give a starting signal through his peripheral vision. Konohamaru's muscles tensed, his pulse raced, and his adrenaline pumped.

As his Uncle's hand dropped, it was all he could do to hold back from rushing Kakashi straight away. Their fight was to begin, but Konohamaru knew that being too hasty was the easiest way to lose control of the battle. Instead, he would allow his opponent to make the first move, and hung back, clutching his helmet close to his center of body so as to allow it to move quickly to any position. If he could get Kakashi to waste his one and only choice of weapon, the Jounin would be open to attack. Unlike the shuriken, Konohamaru's helmet was most easily reusable. As such, no matter how long the fight dragged on, he would never have to worry about being left unarmed. He awaited the movement of his opponent, his eyes poised as if they were that of a hawk, and ready to react at the blink of an eye...

[Kakashi Hatake]

{{Herp?}}

'Mm, good choice,' Kakashi said with a nod as Konohamaru indicated his choice of weapon, 'With something like that you'll be able to attack and defend easily. You're smarter than you let on' There was a back handed compliment in there somewhere, but in the ninja world idiocy and genius often walked just beside one another, the line being altogether indistinct at some times. 'Too bad I don't need to hit you to beat you.' Kakashi's voice dropped several octaves as he made this announcement, indeed 'Scary Kakashi' was in full swing and seeing as how it had already reaped the willpowers of several prospective Genin over the years a further Academy Student would be just so much dusting on the cake. As soon as Asuma's hand dropped Kakashi leaped into the air, straight up into the blinding light of the now dipping sun, if as he had expected Konohamaru's eyes had followed he would be dazzled by the sunlight. Regardless Kakashi pirouetted smoothly in the air, cocking the arm holding the shuriken.

Yes, he replicated Konohamaru's rotational release perfectly, save for him being in the air, he was after all the Copy Ninja Kakashi Hatake and on top of that he figured being duped with his own move would humble the young man some. Even if it didn't, he was still going somewhere with this. In any case his shuriken flew straight and true, surging through the air down to the youth, right over his shoulder, perhaps so close that he felt a tiny backwash from its spinning protrusions and heard its distinctive whirring in his ear. The weapon met the ground with a soft thump, but before piercing the ground it had met with Konohamaru's trailing scarf, the selfsame garment which had tripped him up quite literally not so long ago. For all his thought and preparation he'd neglected to remove it.

Kakashi landed, half crouching with one hand to the ground and he made no further moves, awaiting the inevitable hasty attack to come off the seemingly wasted manoeuvre. Even if the scarf tore Kakshi had more than one trick up his sleeve from the beginning.

[Sakura Haruno]

An ocean of blue engulfed the heavens within its shroud as it revealed its splendour to the world below. White fluffy clouds danced across the cloaked sky while the sun shone down its rays of joy and happiness to the world of man, a breath of life breezed across the land, which bore witness to another beautiful day. Nature was in full bloom as the trees once again revealed their pride while the flowers and grass brought tranquillity and harmony to those that would wonder this gentle place.

Sakura found herself heading northwards towards the school. Today was the first day as a Genin, and she was more then ready to give it her all. After graduating to becoming a full-fledged ninja, she was told to go to the Ninja School to see about being on some kind of team. Hearing these sparked Sakura’s thoughts, as she wondered why, there was still one other thing, which was also on her mind and that, was Sasuke.

Today was going to be interesting day she thought to herself. As she marched onwards to her destination, Sakura heard a commotion, which was happening. Deciding to investigate she headed towards the direction of the noise and soon upon a battle site. It was what looked like a boy with a long scarf fighting against a man with a white hair that stood up into the air. Another man stood from afar and watched the two like a hawk; it seemed as though they were really fighting each other.

It was foolish to interrupt a battle between these two. However she could ask the other man what was happening, luckily the guy wore the uniform of a jounin. Standing at a safe distance she remained quiet and watched the battle between the two ninja, what ever was happening it seemed important. However a ninja must see through deception, Sakura didn’t know that this battle was simply a battle of learning.

Besides it was a great opportunity to learn some battle techniques. However she had to get to the Ninja School, but this very battle stood in the way, all Sakura could do was watch from afar and see what happens. As her eyes gazed over at the battle Sakura patiently waited, but the inner Sakura emerged in her mind and voiced her true feelings about what’s happening. "CHA!! I love this stuff!" It said as she stood still and watched them.

[Konohamaru Sarutobi]

A look of steely determination on his youthful face, the boy could predict what was to come. He knew this prediction would be accurate, because his intuition had never failed him in the past. Indeed, the Copy Ninja Kakashi was going to attempt to end this as quickly as possible, so as to avoid the wrath of the great Konohamaru. He would likely attack with his most powerful ability, in the hopes of ending the fight soon. After all, he could not hope to outlast the young prodigy in a battle of endurance. What he would likely be looking for was a break in the boy's defenses, so he could score a lucky shot and claim victory like some sort of sneak-thief.

Such would not be his destiny, however, and Konohamaru knew exactly why. The famed Copy Ninja made his living off of copying others; though Konohamaru had always envisioned him in black and white clothing being trapped inside of a glass box, this discrepancy hardly changed the fact that the Copy Ninja could not copy if no moves were made on the offensive front. Without his blasted ability to mimic, Kakashi would be forced to rely on his own strength which, so far as Konohamaru could see, was not very impressive. Regardless of how this fight ended, whether the boy maimed, disemboweled, or simply incapacitated his counterpart, Konohamaru was sure of one thing. This was that the fight would go his way, and that the critics surrounding him would forever be silenced. He would allow Kakashi to finish whatever fruitless actions he sought to take, but in the end he was one of the best shinobi of all time.

Konohamaru was surprised, however, when the man leapt into the air in such a manner. Sure, it wasn't exactly a perfect jump (Konohamaru had performed the same action several times to greater effect), but it was impressive that his weakling opponent could pull off such a maneuver. If he weren't so focused on maintaining his Ultimate Defensive Turtle-Shell Jutsu, he might have stopped to straighten up and applaud for the man. Certainly, he would need encouragement to put up anything close to an entertaining battle. He watched as the man attempted to recreate an action that Konohamaru himself had earlier performed, and it was here that the young boy realized the one and only flaw in his perfect plan. He had not taken into account the fact that Kakashi had earlier witnessed his Spinning Life-or-Death Jutsu, and would be able to replicate its moves with his style. If there was one person who could best Konohamaru, it was most certainly Konohamaru.

While he couldn't say that it wasn't an honor to square off against a move created by the greatest fighter in the world, at the same time this did not bode well for him. Raising his helmet in an attempt to block the shot, he found that it moved too quickly to allow its trajectory to be properly predicted by the admittedly cumbersome movements of his headgear. With this realization, he suddenly felt a snag catch him by the neck, and recoiled as his scarf was nailed firmly into the ground. Although taking the scarf off might have meant this unfortunate turn of events would not have occurred, Konohamaru had to compliment on his use of misdirection. Kakashi had been so distracted by the deep and royal colors of his uniform that he had missed his intended target, and instead hit the object of his admiration. Though the young boy regretted any damage that came to the uniform that so perfectly projected the image he desired, he knew that this was a slip up he would need to take advantage of.

Konohamaru quickly assessed the situation, and compared his options with the weapon he currently possessed. The boy was not delusional, and as such did not believe he could accurately use his helmet as a ranged weapon. Although he might come close to hitting Kakashi, the resistance that the air put on the helmet due to its concavity would slow it down, rendering it ineffective and merely giving Kakashi another weapon to use. Wait. A thought suddenly struck him, as his eyes darted toward the shuriken that had pinned his scarf to the ground. His uncle had stated the rules as follows, 'each ninja will choose a weapon to use'. However, nothing in that tenet said that the ninja was restricted to the use of his own weapon. Kakashi had thrown this shuriken in the hopes of defeating the opponent, yet because of Konohamaru's resourcefulness, he had merely succeeded in giving the boy access to both his ultimate defensive and offensive maneuvers. Still, this Kakashi was a clever one; he would have to be to convince everyone he was such a great warrior due to his skills at stealing other warriors' thunder. Even with his superior speed, there was no guarantee that Konohamaru could make his way to the weapon without leaving himself open for a follow-up attack by the Copy Ninja. Though his skills with Taijutsu dwarf those of even the most excellent man, turning one's back on an opponent always leaves one at a distinct disadvantage. What to do...

His thoughts racing a mile a minute, Konohamaru knew he was going to have to rely on a gambit of sorts in order to succeed with his plan. Thus, he immediately dropped to the ground and held his neck, attempting to pry off an object that wasn't truly choking him. When Konohamaru had been a boy, before he had decided to embark on his quest to beat the best of the best, he got revenge on his grandfather and family in general by throwing continual temper tantrums. As any father would tell you, one of the most common things a child is liable to try is holding their breath until they get their way. Most small children do not succeed in this endeavor, due to the fact that oxygen was necessary for human survival. Even Konohamaru could not tell you if it was because of his considerable willpower, or due to his having evolved to a higher state of being that does not derive its sustenance from oxygen, but he had always been adept at bringing himself to a state of near suffocation before allowing the breath representing the victory of his family to pass through his lips.

This skill came in handy now, as the boy feigned that the scarf was, in fact, choking him. It left a bad taste in his mouth to attempt to show any perceived weakness in the face of his opponent, however, this seemed to be his only choice. He gagged and held his breath, his face moving from a deep red slowly to a purple that would soon transform into a blue. This Kakashi could react in one of a few ways. If he were smart, he would finish his dangerous opponent here, without mercy. Konohamaru could not say for sure that Kakashi would not take this action, however, due to the man's looking down on him, it seemed as though he would probably take one of the remaining two courses of action. If he saw Konohamaru as a child, which seemed unlikely yet was still a possibility, he may worry that his actions were bringing about a slow, painful death, and lose his nerve even if for only a moment. However, if the man saw himself as Konohamaru's superior in a smug manner, as the boy believed, he might toy with him, and take slightly longer with his actions, knowing that the boy could not act on his own. If either of these lapses in judgment occurred, the boy was ready to take advantage, the muscle in his leg tense and set to allow him to spring for the used shuriken, as soon as he could perceive Kakashi's intentions.

[Kakashi Hatake]

{{Getting round to putting a bow on it, cause Sonnikku said xD}}

I still can't figure out whether he's smart or stupid...

Kakashi looked on with indifference as his young opponent thrashed about on the ground, clearly he was feigning asphyxiation in order to coax some kind of reaction from Kakashi. With his arms crossed the Jounin simply looked on for a while at the rather amusing display. Of course if this was a genuine ninja battle Konohamaru would have been dead on the first exchange, but obviously he couldn't expect so much from one who wasn't even close to being a graduate of the Academy. He eventually just rubbed his chin and sighed.

'Whatever you're planning, you should change tactics,' he informed the young Student before him, not really caring whether he had indeed passed out or not. 'Then again, you've already lost.' Glancing up to the sun in the sky he realised he'd already taken much more time than he ever intended, he sighed again, shrugging his shoulders. If he wanted to ever get anything done he'd have to clip this one off in the bud, hang trying to teach the kid anything, he'd come back for more anyhow. Before his final attack he pondered the ethical, moral and social implications of employing such a jutsu against the Third's grandson, then upon determining that the old man would likely as not laugh his ass off at the sight, he decided to follow through with it.

'Doton:' he began, his voice being replaced from there on by another exactly like his own but emanating from under the ground beneath Konohamaru which now began to shift and rumble. 'Shinju Zanshu no Jutsu!' At the last word a pair of hands burst out from beneath the student, seeking to latch onto his feet and pull him down into the ground which would enclose as the second Kakashi emerged, sliding back to join the first.