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Post by Hinode Yuuyake on Apr 19, 2012 18:06:12 GMT -5
The chain of events that occurred after the Jounin's intervention was interesting, to say the least. Indeed, his kunai had spared the two genin from the icy hand of death, but he saw one of the figures, in the dimming mist he was able to make out that it had been Mitsuko, catch the nasty side of one of the nearer explosions. The other genin seemed to be handling the barrage of firey death quite well, until what looked like a very badly timed rock struck him on the side of the head. That's just a touch of bad luck, there.
And then there was Akemi, she'd lashed out as he'd expected, but he'd been long gone. Somehow, he had a feeling he'd have this effect on her. She seemed terrified, or just perhaps more alert. Quickly she'd retreated beyond his line of sight, limited as it was. Retreating into the trees again... must be some sort of ambush planned for myself or either of those two unlucky souls out there... Just as he was planning on pursuing Akemi, a voice rung out among the mist.
He recognized the voice as Kyomu. Commendable as it was that he was trying to form an allegiance with his team, the method of delivery was foolish. Now his location was revealed to all within the skirmish, and Hinode couldn't allow such a fault to go unpunished. Deciding to split his resources, the Jounin formed a hand sign, before proclaiming, "Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu!"
Two clones appeared near him, and since they shared the same mind as him, he needed give them no direction. One of the clones would continue to pursue Akemi, keeping an eye open for her inevitable trap. Another was going to head in the direction of Mitsuko, he'd been wounded pretty badly, easy prey, and Hinode was interested to see how he'd handle the situation. Finally, Hinode would deal with Kyomu himself, he'd read that the boy was a genjutsu user, and the sensei wanted to test the young Kagami child.
The two clones dissapeared quickly, but Hinode merely walked at a brisk pace, and as he walked, he dispelled the mist in his wake. While Kirigakure no Jutsu was nearly every Mist-ninja's bread and butter, it would do little more to help him teach them anymore. Eventually he approached Kyomu, staying concealed by the mist until he was mere yards away, and finally dispelling the last of the mist.
His eyes met the young boy's for a moment, before his mouth formed the signature grin from earlier, and he made a handsign. "Kasumi Juusha no Jutsu." Hinode focused his energy in weaving this genjutsu around the Genin. Would he put up his defenses fast enough, or would he be caught by the illusion? Only time would tell.
Meanwhile, the clone headed for Akemi eventually found the girl leaning against a tree, bow in hand. She'd changed her position to prevent sneaking up on her, it appeared she was learning already. On this side of the field, among the trees, the mist had disappeared by this point, and the clearing was coming back into view. Surely if he'd waited for her to act, he could catch her off guard. But even when all the mist had gone, and a higher vantage point would have been ideal for her ranged weapon, still she sat and did nothing.
The clone suddenly realized what had happened, Akemi herself was the trap. And here he'd been waiting for her ambush, she could have been on top of him and he'd not have known. He'd been too focused on the doll, so he drew a kunai and prepared for an onslaught of melee attacks he knew the weapon's specialist was capable of.
The second clone, headed for Mitsuko, meandered his way through the treeline, far down from Akemi and the other clone. He hadn't gotten enough of a read on Mitsuko to know his tactics yet, so he wouldn't be charging into the forest blindly. Once he began to near the location that he'd seen Mitsuko take cover to, he stopped for a moment, bit his thumb, formed some handsigns, and placed his hand on a nearby branch.
In a poof of smoke, a small Hawk appeared, cocking it's head at Hinode. A hushed whisper of a conversation ensued before the Hawk was off, perching from tree to tree until it found what he was looking for. The only weakness to using his Hawks as scouts was if they were discovered, they could be followed back, directly to him. Hopefully in his injured state, the Subeki boy wouldn't be aware of the bird meandering through the trees, ready to betray his location at any moment.
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Post by Mitsuko Subeki on Apr 19, 2012 19:39:04 GMT -5
Mitsuko took deep breaths, in and out, in and out, just trying to quell his prior rage. Being berserk wasn't going to help him, not now when Kyomu was no where in sight. He would have to show him a thing or two, one of these days. Yeah but it's not like he said anything about my family or anything, so maybe I overreacted on that front. The fact of the matter was that just as the two of them were separated by the explosion, they were at a stalemate with Kyomu's blade was about to reach Mitsuko at the same time the Kagami was about to be encased in a water prison. He still thinks of himself as superior, it would seem. That little bout was hardly a sufficient to prove that. He would just have to show that to him, when he got the chance.
And suddenly, there it was. The boy yelled out to his two teammates, calling for an alliance against Yuuyake-sensei. That was so incredibly naive and stupid on several levels. First off, had he not heard Mitsuko cursing at him, or the venom in his tone? If he thinks we're teaming up he's ridiculous. I just can't...I can't team up and make him or that girl think that I need them in anyway...I can't take help from them, at least not until I prove that I'm the best there is. They all have to know it, there's just no choice.
But the second level of Kyomu's failure was that he had three enemies, two of which were most definitely not joining up with the boy. Akemi, as she had proven, was a bit of a wild card. But what good would just the two of them do against a jounin? Even the three of them wasn't gonna cut it. Even IF we all decided to band together, giving away his location like that is just crazy. Is he that confident in his own abilities? Or perhaps just confident in the fact that his chosen course of action is correct...
Either way, he had decided it would be best to head in that direction. Sensei and Akemi would likely be closing in on the only obvious target, so at least he would be in on the action. Mitsuko looked over his injuries, moved his arm, rotated his torso...there was some stinging and pain with movement and with touch, but none to severe and certainly not enough to keep him from reengaging an opponent. Leaving cover however, would be a large step. He had to be patient, listen, and make sure to leave when there was no threat. No more being brash, it was time to be a ninja.
And then suddenly the mist dissipated. Strange, it seems Yuuyake sensei is tired of testing our ability in the mist. Makes sense, considering that we likely won't be fighting other Kiri-nin. Mitsuko suddenly heard and saw a hawk fly by, and the whole thing seemed...strange. Granted, it was sort of a perfect storm that lead the Subeki, normally not so perceptive, to notice such a thing. But he hadn't seen a hawk like that around these parts and its appearance, coinciding with the dissolution of the mist was all too strange. And as it u-turned, the boy peaked his head out to watch it fly away.
Thinking quickly, he decided to take to the trees. The higher he was, the better. It made little sense for an animal like a hawk to be flying as low as it was and to return once it saw the boy. Too easy. If his theory was correct, then this move would be sort of unexpected. The Subeki leaped from branch to branch as quietly as he could, and then proceeded to follow the hawk, but several feet above it. Sure enough, there Yuuyake-sensei was, with his hawk reporting back. Gotcha. It was terrifying that he was about to go one-on-one with a fucking jounin, but he couldn't let him know that. He was fearless, calm, and cold as the rushing waves. He was a Subeki.
Mitsuko quickly produced a water clone that circled around behind Yuuyake before being sent him down towards Hinode, kunai in hand, diving to strike the jounin. It was ideal, sending a clone down to force a reaction out of his sensei. Afterward, he would find the room to attack the man personally. The man almost certainly would not be fooled, however, and maintaining the clone for long would be way too much chakra for the genin to handle. So might as well make a move now. Mitsuko jumped down from the opposite side, chakra gathering in his palm as he attempted to imprison his sensei with the water prison technique. He didn't utter a word, which was unusual. Silence was key, he had to at least show his sensei how capable he was, even if it wouldn't be all that effective. The plus side was that if his water prison didn't hit, he wouldn't lose all that much chakra.
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Post by Akemi Izayoi on Apr 19, 2012 20:45:29 GMT -5
Akemi's breath came out slow, even, and quiet. The slowness in which her lungs captured air was at odds with the speed her heart raced. The kunoichi had settled herself in such an aware state that she could feel the vibrations carried through her skin. There would be no more rookie mistakes. Akemi refused to fail, she'd use every weapon in her arsenal and every trick she knew before she allowed herself to consider the idea of defeat. Even then she wouldn't allow helplessness to claim her. She wasn't going back to the academy. She wasn't going back to her family without the pride of accomplishment.
The girl's eyes, pierced into the fog and deep down she willed it away. Hoped for it to ease just ever so slightly because she still couldn't see that far. Her eyes, sharper than most, outstripped the average chosen forte. The young kunoichi had trained to take in everything she could, pushing to see the smallest of details even in everyday situations. To identify any materials, to conclude how an item was made by the markings, to judge if it was properly taken care of, to hypothesize on structure and weight, and so much more. They would not fail her.
Her ears pushed passed the sound of her own heartbeat. All around her was a stillness. Every time the smallest of sounds was made she focused intently on it, holding her breath. Such awareness barely seemed worth the effort given that the sounds were so loud when they reverberated within the quiet. And that's why she kept up the focus. As soon as she let it down by even the smallest of margins that would be when the jounin and possibly even her teammates (if they could truly be called that at this point she wasn't sure) struck. She even paid attention to her skin as the most gentle shift in wind could be a warning.
'Akemi-san! Mitsuko-san! Follow the sound of my voice and fall in on my position! We're going to put this childish fight aside and take Yuuyake-sensei together!' Kyomu was so loud it was almost painful to her ears. Should she chance it? Technically it had been Mitsuko that attacked her to begin with. There was no reason for fear in meeting up with Kyomu. The idea sounded reasonable and even just mulling over it gave a sense of relief and safety. Yet, Akemi still warred within her own mind. Thoughts became paranoid, distrustful. It was a perfect chance for a trap. She knew it. And even if Kyomu's intentions were honest, the other two that prowled within this mist of deception and distrust would be sure to capitalize on it.
If she went she would be weak! AKemi was not weak! So she stayed put beneath a layer of cool mist, next to the security of warm bark, and behind a veil of shifting leaves. For a while there wasn't another sound (or maybe it was just a few seconds, she wasn't sure because time didn't matter anymore) then she sensed it. Neither hearing nor feeling the movement, but doing both at the same time. Her eyes whipped to it and widened, barely taking note of the mist that was clearing quickly. She only seen him once before, but there was no denying that this was Yuuyake-sensei.
The jounin just stood there unmoving a couple of meters off in a canopy above her own. Akemi froze and nearly panicking at the position she was in, trapped and found out. However, he didn't move still and he wasn't looking at her. Then it hit her. "My decoy!" She couldn't waste the opportunity! Akemi moved even as her thoughts raced. This was the chance, the one moment the man would be off guard. The one moment she could succeed where the others couldn't! Basic strategies shifted to advanced concepts at the same time other thoughts bounced around in her head. Her eyes analyzed everything they could, picking out the smallest detail.
"My body is made of countless weapons." The starting of a mantra intensified her adrenaline rush. Every muscled in her body, formed from the years of weapon training, coiled and exploded in a single second. Weapons appeared in her hands and her sight zoned onto the man. "I was forged by tests and passion, cooled in the humility of failure, and tempered by sheer will and determination." Her eyes correctly measured the distance between her and a target. Then ten shuriken soared, not for the man, but veering around him even and she launched herself at him. The bark shattered under her feet and the wires began to fall slack, but she threw a second set of weapons behind her. The struck fast to the tree, anchoring the lines and shifting the airborne weapons in an arc. They'd make a direct path to prevent him dodging to the side lest he get tangled.
Two more weapons, kunai this time, pierced bark in from of the jounin. Throw him off, control the distance, and attack! Her hand blurred to her hilt even as the opposite thumb flicked it from the sheath. It hummed through the air, singing a battle cry, as it tore a horizontal path through the air for the man's head. There had to be an intent to kill. The kunoichi knew she wouldn't have a chance without it. Not even waiting for a feel of torn flesh, her feet landed on a kunai each, thrown moments before for this specific purpose. Her sword would lodge in the ground, but her feet would touched for the briefest of moments. They'd catch the kunai, glue them with chakra, and pivot into a kick that sent her into a whirling frenzy. One close in defense of the counter and the other lashing out aiming to press the advantage.
Akemi could only let her body take flight on instict. The kunoichi trusted herself to her reflexes. "Wielded by Kiri, I will cut a path into legends."
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Post by Kyomu Kagami on Apr 20, 2012 14:59:21 GMT -5
Kyomu stood fast where he had been when he made the announcement, though alert he wasn't on guard as he didn't wish to give off a hostile vibe should either of his team mates actually deign to accept his invitation. Though it was at the same time much more likely he would be joined by Hinode first, after all what Genin could possibly outrun a or outpace Jounin. Kyomu was fully aware that he had exposed himself to a huge risk, but for all of the massive power discrepancy between himself and Yuuyake-sensei it was a calculated risk, the selfsame wager he had made in his first battle as a shinobi. The longer his sensei was occupied with him the odds of his team mates arriving, with the element of surprise on their side at that, became incrementally greater. Effectively he had made the key flaw of his gambit its greatest strength as well, the fact that they knew where he was also meant they knew where Yuuyake-sensei was most likely to be. With the mist suddenly clearing he assumed that the advantage had shifted even further in their favour, that was until he saw the imposing figure of his teacher striding from the final wisps of fog.
His eyes widened, not strictly in shock, but with a mix of apprehension at the exchange to come and in disbelief at his sheer bad luck. He widened his stance, placing one hand to his trusty blade ready to receive an attack, his anxiety for the approaching battle growing every second that the attack did not come, growing so great eventually that his hand began to tremble he was clutching his weapon so tightly. Why, was the only thought screaming through his head over and over again, why doesn't he attack me? The answer soon became apparent as Kyomu heard the familiar words uttered in the still strange voice. Right, right, Sensei wants to fight me on my own terms. He's either toying around or else has totally underestimated me. More likely the former, but regardless he had been handed a chance and meant not to waste it.
So he let himself be caught, let the Mist Servant Technique take hold and even made quite the effort to seem surprised, whipping his head one way then the other to regard the rapidly appearing illusions while still keeping the real one in the periphery of his vision. With his free hand he reached back to his tool pouch, his hand latching on to one of his pre-prepared kunai with an explosive tag tied on. His eyes darting to the front with a sudden determination, he revealed the weapon and flung it straight as an arrow (straighter that Akemi's anyhow) for the real Yuuyake. The kunai split one of illusions through the stomach on its path and Kyomu got a clear view of his sensei, only then did he place his hands together to form the seal for Release. 'Kai!' He proclaimed with a certain satisfaction in his voice which was uncommon.
As the illusion around his dissipated he followed the path of his kunai as fast as he could, hands now on his sheath and sword respectively and waiting for indication of which way the Jounin would dodge so he could follow and launch another attack with a sword draw. He realised that to dictate the pace in such a manner would cost him a lot of stamina, more than he could afford really, but it was his only choice to try to keep the older ninja from weaving seals and using Ninjutsu. Come on guys! What's taking you so long!?
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Post by Hinode Yuuyake on Apr 21, 2012 23:35:48 GMT -5
Each of Hinode's clones, and Hinode himself, had quite the barrage headed toward them. The clone that had been tasked with pursuing Akemi had a delightful array of limiting weaponry flung in his direction. Considering that, and the forested terrain, there wasn't much room to dodge, clearly she'd intended to trap him. Another commendable trait, the more he thought on this group of Genin, while it had clear flaws, there was a lot of potential here.
Still, the Hinode clone wasn't going down without a fight. The initial attack of two kunai were deflected easy enough with kunai of his own. The real trouble was the bladed hellion heading his way, and fast. Showing incredible chakra control, she managed to attach the kunai to her feet, making her kick all the more deadly. Yet there was no technique without flaw, if he could make the strength of her kick work against her, she could be felled easily.
So as her leg oustreatched toward him, he brought up his left arm, supporting it with his right, and digging his feet in to brace for impact. The full force shook the clone a bit, but he stopped the kunai before it reached the intended target: his head. It took a lot of energy to stop the attack, and he could feel there wasn't much chakra left in his resoviors as a clone. In the moment of impact, Hinode outstretched his right arm which was previously supporting his left and grabbed hold of the genin's lower leg (the one she had kicked with), holding her in place for a moment.
In a swift move, the Jounin's left arm shot underneath the genin and swept to the right, and then down, aiming to push upon Akemi's back and force her to the ground. She still had hands on her sword stuck in the ground, so it might have been possible for her to still control her body in mid-air, and she still had the kunai on her feet, which were uncomfortably close to the clone's head for comfort.
Meanwhile, the clone that had pursued Mitsuko had finally caught a glimpse of the hawk returning, but upon it's arrival, it made a high pitched caw that Hinode recognized. In his training with the hawks, he'd encountered instances where they'd been followed back to him, so he established the system with his best scouting hawks to caw when being tailed. The clone was immediately on his guard. It wasn't more than a moment before the image of Mitsuko was descending on the clone.
Due to the warning from the hawk, he'd had just enough time to prepare for the attack, and he planed his feet and struck out with both of his hands in a powerful thrust intended to knock him to the side before the kunai even reached Hinode. Afterall his arm's reach was much longer, but just as he felt he should be colliding with flesh, the water clone dissolved into a puddle in front of him.
It was just another moment before the clone spun to see the hand of Mitsuko descend upon him, effectively sealing him in his Water Prison Jutsu. Or that was how it appeared, until the image of Hinode encircled by the bubble of water suddenly poofed, and a log took its place. A simple utilization of the substitution jutsu made any attempt at conserving chakra moot, due to the fact that he'd completed the technique in order to capture the log.
The moment the log appeared in that cloud of smoke, the sensei had appeared behind Mitsuko himself, wielding a Water Prison Jutsu of his own, aimed right for the Genin. Hopefully he'd been tricked by the substitution jutsu long enough for this to capture him now.
Finally, the real Hinode had already tasted success against Kyomu. He felt the genjutsu take hold on the young Kagami child, and smirked slightly to himself. Soon he'd be seeing the illusions that Hinode projected on him, and it was proven as he saw the Genin thrash about nervously, the fear must have been building. Then, as though snapping into clarity, he launched an explosive kunai directly for the Jounin, and then impressively broke out of his genjutsu, as well.
The kunai was no problem to dodge, it stuck a few dozen yards behind the Jounin, in the field, and was evidenced by the explosion that followed. The problem that arose was the Genin armed with a sword advancing on Hinode. During his jump to the right, he formed the handseals. Rat, then Tiger, then Dog, then Ox, then Rabbit, and finally Tiger. "Katon: Housenka no Jutsu!" Hinode's hand flew to his mouth and he shot half a dozen fireballs, three aiming for the ground at the charging genin's feet, one going to each of his sides to prevent dodging to them, and the last blast heading directly for the genin.
It was a relatively low-power technique, even if it made a direct hit, it wouldn't do much more than singe his eyebrows and give his advance some pause, time for the Jounin to think. He hated dealing with swords, the reach was nearly unfair, so he'd avoid that fight if at all possible. They'd all done plenty to prove themselves, and the sensei was looking to end this, and soon. How exactly they'd fare against him then, was yet to be determined.
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Post by Mitsuko Subeki on Apr 22, 2012 4:09:31 GMT -5
Mitsuko appeared behind his sensei, ready to capture the jounin just as planned. The whole thing was rather strange, really. In any world, that move was solid, especially for a genin to pull against a much higher ranking ninja, and yet...it was just off. When he'd originally thought of how this whole test was gonna play out, this was the last possible way he figured it would end. The most likely being that Mitsuko defeated one of his two teammates in battle while Hinode defeated the other, and the middle choice being that he was defeated by Yuuyake himself. Among those were other statistically unlikely scenarios, like him being defeated by Akemi, for example.
As improbable as it was, the plan seemed to be going swimmingly. He actually expected for his teacher to see the clone for what it was, but it appeared that the man oblivious, if not totally surprised by the onslaught. Got em. Mitsuko lit up as his water prison encapsulated Hinode entirely as the boy's feet alighted on the ground, essentially capturing victory at the same time. That should put all this hierarchy shit to rest...although, this isn't quite the way I thought it would...
And then, the most painful sound he could hear at that time, the poof of a substitution technique. His proud stance shifted, his prison collapsed into a puddle, and every muscle in his body tightened as if he were about to spill his lunch. Just like Mitsuko had earlier, Hinode came at the boy from behind with a water prison technique. There was no way for him to dodge the move completely. While he had not been so utterly fooled by the log in his water cage, the Subeki hadn't really realized how exhausted he was due to the adrenaline rush, but he didn't have enough chakra and wherewithal to perform a substitution jutsu. Game over...
Mitsuko turned his head to look his attacker in the eye, which had a great deal of focus emanating from them. They were a contrast from his own blue eyes, which contained neither the passion of battle nor the frustration of a backfired plan, but simply the emptiness of defeat. Could he have dodged the prison entirely? No, but that was no excuse for not even trying. Who knows, maybe he would've only had a leg or something captured or found a way to escape it. But it was clear just from the look in his eyes and his now relaxed body that he had resigned himself to his fate.
The water rushed around him as he grimaced and was lifted from his feet, as he was now floating in a circular cage of water. Damn it... There was no sign of struggle or movement form Mitsuko at all - not that he could move very well in the dense, highly pressurized water anyway. The only thing he could think of was how his father was about to destroy him for failing in such a way, how his teammates wouldn't respect him, and how his sensei would know he was a failure.
What had they expected of him? To dominate his fellow genin so thoroughly that facing Hinode wasn't even an issue? Or was he to defeat his teacher on his own? Perhaps not, but the downside to the home-run move Mitsuko had launched was that he had essentially gone all in and lost. Sort of like his family had, really. The odds were against him, sure, but he hadn't even shown enough promise to be noteworthy. The goal of this trial, in his head, was to let everyone know that he had the potential to be something special. He just hoped that Yuuyake-sensei saw something in him that he had not yet seen in himself.
Is this the best I can do? Am I doomed to be a failure like the rest? He shifted his eyes and hand so that he could stare at the number twenty-seven label across the back of his hand. While there was surely much pain to come, he could take solace there, floating in the water prison, until it burst and he had to face the reality of his ineptitude.
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Post by Akemi Izayoi on Apr 22, 2012 21:10:19 GMT -5
Despite the severity of this battle Akemi found herself thinking of the strangest things even though she tried not to think at all. How she could feel the lightest shift in the wind. The way her eyes saw so much with such a sharp clarity in detail, things even she'd miss laid obvious before her. That prickly feeling from goosebumps and the way the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. However, most prominent was the sheer excitement that raced through her entire being. It made all her emotions a muddled mess of contradictions. The girl wanted to laugh in happiness, cry out in fear, and roar in rage all at the same time. They each wanted to be unleashed with equal intensity. So much so, that the girl couldn't decide on which.
Hands clenched on the hilt of her sword, he foot connected. The impact was so jarring that deep from within the depths of Akemi's subconscious erupted an involuntary howl. It was came as natural a reaction as breathing. Rage, happiness, sadness, fear, all of them mingled together in that roar and were released at once in an attempt to reject being overwhelmed by the intensity of the opponent and the expectations the kunoichi had trapped herself in. The most startling part of all was that it worked. Instinct was such an odd thing.
The kunoichi snapped the shackles of her own fears. She channeled her rage. Then, finally, fell into a focused calm. Though her attack had been blocked and a grip was still held firmly on her foot, her body moved. She didn't think or command it to, she just did. The sword's hilt left her hand and she caught herself. Fingers dug into the bark in an attempt to stave off the pressure of the jounin's force and her own body weight for only a few seconds. As this happened her free leg, tucked closer than the one grabbed, lashed out. A quick jerk was all it took. Akemi cut off the chakra control and the kunai went soaring to close the small distance between her and Hinode-sensei. Her eyes latched onto his inverted form from her upside down position.
It wasn't enough! She had to continue. "Don't let him control the speed of battle!" Her captured leg bent in an attempt to throw him off balance with his own force. She stretched the other, contorting her body with impressive flexibility, to catch her sword in a similar hold to the kunai before it. Then she gave the appendage another quick snap to send the weapon on a path to cleave the jounin in two pieces as her arms gave out from under her. Akemi used every bit of strength she had to pull him down with her and into the path of the kunai and sword for a sure strike.
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Post by Kyomu Kagami on Apr 23, 2012 17:39:01 GMT -5
Though his teacher was able to dodge Kyomu's explosive kunai, that was not intended so much as an attack in the first instance, indeed the only reason he'd used an Explosive Tag was so that Yuuyake-sensei would have to move, hopefully giving Kyomu himself the chance to do the same and close in so he could put pressure some serious pressure on. Fortunately as he closed in Kyomu saw his sensei forming hand seals, though the seals themselves were little more than a blur to him, he decided not to push his luck and dashed in parallel to his sensei before the attack appeared. Fire element, perfect. At least for this attack he had a slight elemental advantage, though he hadn't mastered the same style of Elemental Ninjutsu Mitsuko had, he knew enough to defend against this.
Stopping his run he faced down the attack and brought his hands together. 'Mizubunshin no Jutsu,' he declared, just loud enough that Yuuyake-sensei might have heard him. There was enough, just enough, moisture left in the surrounding air and ground that he was able to draw it in and form a Water Clone, blocking his sensei's attack and buying him enough tie to weave seals of his own. Though the fireballs around him struck the ground and licked at his calves, though he felt the heat radiating off of the ones which passed he gritted his teeth, hissing with pain and only momentarily pausing his seal string. As his clone was struck high and low by twin fireballs it burst into a cloud of water and steam. Wisps and droplets clung to him as he burst through, holding his last seal as he skidded to a stop, locking eyes on his sensei as he did. 'Magen: Narakumi no Jutsu' Without the chance to hide himself away this was the best that he could do to stall the much superior ninja, as even the short time it might take him to release such a low ranking Genjutsu might give Kyomu enough to to be reunited with his team mates.
Whether that would be a thing for good or ill remained to be seen, he could already feel his stamina beginning to wane, soon enough it would begin to become difficult to mold chakra properly and with the speed at which he was having to do it, even with his superior control reaped from hours of Genjutsu practice it was becoming a trial. If he wasn't relieved soon then there was no way he'd even be able to hold off the Jounin, let alone actually launch an attack against him.
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Post by Hinode Yuuyake on Apr 24, 2012 23:16:48 GMT -5
The Hinode clone that had successfully caught the young Mitsuko, and grinned for a moment before releasing the jutsu, letting the Genin fall in a watery mess at his feet. "You've been caught, and therefore, you're one of the two losers. There's no need for you to fight any longer, and I figure as long as you behave yourself there's no need for you to stay in that water prison either." The clone turned his back to the boy before adding shortly, "Proceed back to the part of the field where we met, the other two must surely be nearing the end of their battles as well." And with that, the clone vanished into a puddle of water, leaving the boy to his own devices as it were.
The clone that was currently locked in battle with Akemi was having a far more difficult time apprehending his target. Just as he was thinking he might have had a good hold on the situation, he'd needed to let go of her leg and jerk back quickly to avoid getting a kunai directly between his eyes. He abandoned the notion of forcing her to the ground, and performed a quick backflip, removing himself from the intended harm her sword brought.
He took a moment to stabilize himself, and he had the feeling she'd do the same. She was quite fierce in the use of her weapons, but could she deal with the other facets of ninja techniques? The clone's hands formed a couple quick handsigns and then he shouted, "Katon: Hosenka no Jutsu!" He then shot out fireballs in Akemi's direction, above, to each side, and directly toward her. None of these fireballs would hurt her badly, but they would leave her stunned for a moment if they connected, giving him the opportunity he would need to trap her.
Finally, the real Hinode found himself faced with a genjutsu of the young Kyomu's. The resourceful use of the water clone was impressive, as the steam that it created provided enough cover to conceal his genjutsu weaving. So, it was natural that the next thing Hinode saw was the bloody body of his father lying there in the midst of it all. It took only a moment for him to realize what had happened, and he quickly broke out of the genjutsu, but in that moment, the fear was real, and so was the hesitiation, so when he snapped back to reality he expected to either have some sort of attack directed his way, or for Kyomu to be gone.
(OOC: Step can go ahead and post, Sei's going to skip this time around.)
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Post by Akemi Izayoi on Apr 25, 2012 21:17:11 GMT -5
Akemi caught herself on all fours, her sword lodging into the ground once more with a light noise. Both the blade and the remaining kunai fell from the soles of her feet as he concentration broke long enough to block the flow of chakra. There was none of the resistance that came from her blade cutting through something solid. The girl's head whipped around to catch the jounin retreating through the air from her current position, having avoided her attacks. Her mind wouldn't stop racing as she seethed.
He was still toying with her. The kunoichi had started out with the initiative, the advantage, a surprise attack, everything! Yet, despite all of that, he still saw through everything she did. Akemi seethed at the sheer skill the jounin seemed to display over everything. The situation was looking closer and closer to hopeless. And now, the girl stalled. Like a rookie. Like a failure. Like every weakness the class had mocked her for. Just one hit, that's all Akemi needed. One hit was the only thing she wanted! Capturing wasn't even a thought anymore. But how!? Out of all her weapons, what had a chance at closing the gap between them? "GAH! WHY AM I THINKING SO MUCH! JUST PICK SOMETHING!"
She had to be unpredictable.
She jerked a scroll from her obi and slapped a hand onto one of the seals as the jounin went through handseals. He was still testing her, playing a damn game. The contents of the seal ejected a bit into the air and time seemed to slow. Fireballs were already seeking to scorch her alive. They were converging on her. The man had already adapted to control the area she had set up and turned it against her. Without realizing it, she went through the handseals of one of the most basic techniques. Maybe it was a spur of the moment. Perhaps retreated back to it since it had been one of the few techniques she'd managed to learn and utilize.
As the weapon she'd chosen, a giant folding fan, fell from the sky her seals finished. Shunshin no Jutsu [Body Flicker Technique] The world started to slow. Akemi charged, pushing her speed to the limits her chakra flooded body possessed. Straight at the jounin, on a path straight through the fireball in front of her. Most would call it a stupid maneuver. Well, nearly everyone would probably call it incredibly dumb and risky. However, Akemi was just herself in the end. A weapon user at the core. And if they called her being unpredictable stupid, dumb, or risky so be it if it meant landing the hit that changed the course of battle.
Grabbing the weapon from the air, she opened it to shield herself from the fireball's full power. The metal grew hot. The wood became charred. The paper outright burned away along with the lacquer Akemi had painstakingly used as the finishing touches. The kunoichi pushed through the fireball, singed and smoking as she could not escape all the heat only be spared from the full fire even with her small size. The fan closed and she threw herself behind the hot metal, hands refusing to let go even as they cried out in agony, using it like a ramming rod.
This pain was nothing to the constant degrading of her skills.
That fire was nothing in comparison to the inferno that roared in her heart.
SHE WOULD PROVE HERSELF!
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Post by Kyomu Kagami on Apr 28, 2012 18:34:32 GMT -5
In any other scenario retreat would have been preferable, in another scenario Kyomu would have turned tail and run. In this one however he needed to stay put lest one of his team mates stumble upon Yuuyake-sensei while attempting to rendezvous with him. For his allies (and the term at that juncture was used loosely at best) to have a chance of springing a surprise attack against their teacher then he would need to seize and hold his focus. Beyond that he needed to act as a vanguard, to galvanize a sustained effort against Hinode and perhaps eventually wear him down. So rather than let the rational part of his mind take over and drive him to flight he stood his ground, in fact he moved forward. If I want to hit him then I have to go at him like I really mean it, no I have to really mean it...
In the moments that it took the Jounin to realise and then dispel his Genjutsu he had surged forward, drawing out his blade and raising it up over his head. Normally he favoured the speed and flexibility of a one handed grip over the power of a two handed one, being that he had little in the way of power which he could muster. In this situation though he needed to keep his teacher backing up, not give him the chance to use any more techniques. Not that he had any illusions about being able to physically overpower the older man, but by and large he should have been able to keep Yuuyake-sensei from weaving seals while the superior range of his weapon ought to protect him from physical reprisal at least for some time.
With a battle cry he tightened his grip and swung down with all his strength, his target being the crown of his teacher's head. Still with no illusions of hitting him with such a direct motion, Kyomu guessed that at such close proximity he'd be more probable to block than evade and then with the right leverage and a bit of creative swordplay he could at least score a glancing blow when one of them (more likely himself) was forced to break off. Come on... where are you two!?
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Post by Hinode Yuuyake on Apr 30, 2012 16:12:03 GMT -5
Hinode's mind snapped back to reality in an instant, just in time to see the blade ready to end his life. Good, he's holding nothing back, but still, can't be dying right here. In a flash, the Jounin threw his body to the right, dodging the blow by a hair, and allowed himself to fall into a sideways cartwheel, bringing his feet up to catch just underneath the Genin's arms. While the strike had the neccissary intensity, there were too many openings, so he was able to manipulate Kyomu's body through his cartwheel, catching Kyomu's body with his feet, and once he was near to completing the flip, he sent chakra to his hands to root himself to the ground and used the muscles in his torso to send Kyomu flying toward the ground. The Jounin gained his balance for just a split second before forming the handsigns for the Water Prison Jutsu and diving for the Kagami child, intending to capture him and end this facade. Surely one of the other clones had succeeded by now.
Meanwhile, the remaining clone had a firey Genin headed right for him. She'd summoned a fan to be used as a defense, and it worked rather well, but he could see the pain on her face as she attempted to ignore the scorching that was inevitable. The clone had used a good amount of chakra as it was, between the close encounter earlier, and then the Katon just now. Perhaps Akemi would win just yet, as she charged forward with the closed fan, the clone held up his arms in a crossed form, ready to block the blow. Upon connection the clone felt a sickly feeling in his stomach, he didn't have much left in him, and then he realized that the fan was extremely hot from the fireball, as could be evidenced by the steam rising from his water-based arms. He hadn't been prepared for this and the added force sent the clone into the feeling yet again, but this time it didn't go away, he had seconds before he'd disappear into water. "Well done, report back to where we first met for your final evaluation."
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Post by Mitsuko Subeki on Apr 30, 2012 17:10:34 GMT -5
Mitsuko's concentration was broken by his ass crashing on the ground and the removal of the heavy water that had immobilized him for just a few seconds. The boy struggled to hear his sensei's words as he gasped for breath and tried to collect himself. Of course, he didn't really need to hear what Hinode was saying to figure out that the boy was one of the two losers and needed to reconvene with his teammates in order to receive punishment and feedback from the man who had defeated him.
The boy looked back and grimaced as the jounin dissolved into water. Just a clone!? Even at just 10% of his chakra I couldn't get a shot in. It can't get much worse. The boy pounded his fist into the ground in frustration and watched his arm shake as the pain resounded through his arm, seemingly as a result of both its contact with the ground and his internal strife. He pushed off with his fist and willed himself to stand. His wounds stung so much more now that the adrenaline from his battle had left him. He looked at the tattoo on his left hand as an apology to his father and then placed it firmly on his right side to ease the pain and slow the minimal bleeding that continued.
The boy trudged forward, north than east, retracing his prior steps and reliving his errors as he passed them by. If Mitsuko was to improve then he had to learn from his mistakes, no matter how painful they were. Against Hinode, he should have saved the chakra he used to create the clone and instead made a different yet equally stealthy move, thereby saving that energy so that he could maintain a battle with his teacher. It was far too optimistic to believe he could have captured him that easily. He should have given Kyomu a much more respectable taijutsu charge, and Akemi should not have been dismissed with a simple blast of water.
And with that, he had worked backwards and ended up where the session had all begun. He was the first there, and had no choice but to wait and except the inevitable moment when his teammates returned to find that he was the first to be defeated. The boy found a tree and slumped down till he was seated, extending one leg fully and bending one knee up while he rested his elbow on it and thought. Who was it that won? Did they also face sensei or had one defeated the other? What will they think when they know that I lost so easily? What will Yuuyake-sensei think? Hopefully his curiosity would be quelled soon enough.
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Post by Akemi Izayoi on Apr 30, 2012 19:09:27 GMT -5
Everything she saw had a red haze, a slow world painted over in ire and vengeance. Each step took her forever to make, her chakra enhanced body pushing everything into the rush. Akemi couldn't even hear over the thundering of her own heart and the blood rushing in her ears. The kunoichi's body wanted to falter, to give into the strain she'd placed it under. The aching burns and the rushing chakra pulsing in a way that tried to bring her to knees. But if she fell here, how would she live with herself? How would she be able to continue knowing that she still could have grasped victory. All she need was...
One...
More...
PUSH!
Struggling. Constantly struggling alone. It's what she did. Even when the goal was so far away. She'd burn herself out with the blazing of her own soul if she had to. So she didn't falter. All she could do was keep struggling, it was the only choice. She just had to believe she could reach her goals in the end. Then, to her shock, Akemi's blow struck. The large fan slamming into the jounin's guard. The girl let a feral smile slip onto her face even as the worn fan fell from her numb fingers, too hot to hold anymore. With a loud clatter it hit bark and fell from the tree branches to the ground below. However, the sizzling of her sensei's arms drew Akemi's full attention. The kunoichi's brain went blank trying to process it all.
"Well done, report back to where we first met for your final evaluation."
The words snapped her the daze. This was a clone. A shadow of her sensei's power. When had she deluded herself into thinking that this was the real thing? The realization was crushing. However, it only lasted for a couple of seconds before a new thought replaced it. Akemi had still bested it. She had still one! In another rare instance Akemi had managed to break through and pass a test set before her. The girl had to clutch her sides as slightly delirious giggles escaped her lips. "This isn't a joke right? I really did it?" Tears started to escape her eyes and her throat tightened uncomfortably.
The emotions were too much. The girl clenched her fists and forced air into her lungs. Suddenly, she let loose a roar of victory. She was a genin! The girl didn't care anymore. She felt like a new person with the accomplishment. Akemi wasn't a failure anymore, she was a ninja now and held the potential to grow. The girl could forget the sneering, forget the mockery, and most importantly the whispers.
Her roar came to an end and her chest heaved as the battle caught up with her. Akemi's skin felt tight on her body and sensitive from the heat she'd charged through. Her calloused hands were already stiff and taking a pinkish hue. It hurt a bit to move anything, but she began to make her way back while faint wisps of smoke still trailed behind her. She took her time though. The girl's legs felt like jelly.
Finally, she reached it. Dropping down in a huff and barely taking note of Mitsuko, she laid on the soft grass under the shade of the same tree. The ground was still slightly damp with dew from the mist called earlier and the cool moisture felt good on her hot and dry skin. She was still furious with him, but after everything that happened she could bring her self to exact revenge. Oh, she still planned to get him back for that cheap shot, just not now. She let her eyes drift closed and breathed deep, catching the moist smell of grass beneath her nose. Akemi felt like she had taken a bigger step than anything previously combined.
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Post by Kyomu Kagami on Apr 30, 2012 20:25:42 GMT -5
Kyomu stumbled as his attack found no resistance, of course a Jounin would be able to dodge at such close quarters! That was the difference between life and death after all. However, his surprise at such a death defying evasion was nothing compared to his astonishment at being picked up and flung through the air by his sensei's legs of all things! Of course at the time he didn't quite know what was happening and as he was lifted all he could muster was a dull 'huh' at the supremely peculiar sensation. His head was spinning when he landed, the blood leaking down into his eye stung something awful, but he was able to just about piece together a rough picture of what Yuuyake-sensei must have done. This is getting ridiculous. He didn't have time to lament the absence of his team on this exchange though, much more pressing was Hinode's sudden attack. Whirling to face him as he found his feet, Kyomu thrust out his blade intending to strike through whatever attack followed but it was too late already. The water rushed in under him, around him, over him and soon enough his thrust was halted by the sheer pressure of the liquid mass which encapsulated him. Suirou no Jutsu? It was something Kyomu had knowledge of, but nothing he'd attempted nor seen, had he done he might have been more tentative in his assault.
He stretched and strained, with the tip of his blade still protruding just beyond the perimeter of the sphere, but he could go no further. He fell limp in the water, finally unable to struggle against the eventuality of defeat no more. A froth of bubbles escaped as he let out a heavy sigh within his prison, resigning himself at last to having been defeated. Couldn't even hold out long enough for one of them to arrive, some coordinator I turned out be. They're probably about to walk smack bang into the middle of some trap because of me.
Whatever, there was nothing more that he could do, he had lost completely against a much more capable adversary, if only he could have done something to aid his team mates' efforts he might have felt better about it.
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