Starring:
Date: December 11, 2012
Summary:
Two evenly matched kunoichi fight to the finish for the right to continue in the jounin examination tournament.
"Second Promotion Exams - Battle to Exhaustion: Rise vs. Kiku"
Dammed Arena [Kirigakure]
Another match is getting ready to start at the Dammed Arena, Home of the Frequently Misunderstood Name. :P People are sitting up in the stands, eating overpriced junk food, yakking to each other about the contestants and their personal predictions of who will win, and making last-minute bets. An air of frivolity and eagerness pervades as the crowd awaits the next adrenaline-fueled spectacle of deadly —
"'TEEEEEEEEEEEN-SHUN!!!"
The booming voice coming from the arena floor somehow manages to reverberate amongst the bleachers as though it were yelling straight into everyone's ears. X.X; It shocks the majority of the crowd into silence. Noab scowls up at the merry-goers. "This SERIOUS AND POTENTIALLY DEADLY military exercise will now commence! All carelessly authorized civilian observers are hereby ordered to either get two sake saucers' worth of sense and LEAVE before they witness something they can't stomach, or sit down, clam up, and hopefully gain some slight appreciation of the hardships and dangers which soldiers face on your behalf! There WILL be NO catcalls, jeers, demands for blood, or insolence of any kind, or I WILL reach up there and smack the living snot out of you!" There is nervous laughter at what most think is a joke, until Noab lifts one arm and inflates it in size until it towers over the stands. "AND DON'T THINK I CAN'T!!!" >[
Noab brings his arm back, then turns to face the starting marks, leaning on his axe-cane. "Kaguya Kiku of Kirigakure, Shirokiri Rise of Kumogakure, please take your marks!"
By some glorious miracle Rise is saved from the deafening sound of Noab's opening catch phrase due to her own preoccupation with thoughts far from the present. Well that, and the ear plugs her father conveniently provided her with for the sole purpose of drowning out the initial jeers or cheers expected to erupt from the crowd. But besides all of that the main object of her concerns laid at the center of a partially extended hand. A tiny, red-ish black pill…
"… Sorry Otou-san but.." She simply shook her head and traded out the pill with a larger more redder variation from her back-up supply pouch. As she began to walk out into the arena itself a simple flick of her thumb launches the pill right into her mouth to be consumed in passing. By the time Rise can be seen by all her hair begins becomes frizzy, skin more flushed, and eyes gained an almost feral gleam.
She paused only to stare in shock up at the giant of a referee before shrugging off the discomfort and focusing more intently at her would be opponent. "I'm ready whenever she's ready old man," She stated huskily, cracking her knuckles and loosening her neck up a little in preparation.
Well, the crowd squeaks a little bit. They hear what Noab had said, and well, given that he was assigned this contest with Rise and Kiku…they know only one thing. There's going to be blood, and lots of it. Some of the crowd get up, and start to go. Mostly cause well, you're about to see two berserkers likely tear into each other like raw meat to a tigress. Kiku walks out into the arena, taking several deep breathes. She changes, but very subtly.
As Kiku gets to the starting mark, she holds her hands to her sides, small points peaking out of her palms. She looks at the girl before her, and takes a deep breath before assuming a Kaguya defensive stance. A bone plate rises from the bottom of her left eye, covering her cheek a bit. The woman looks at Rise, and gives a small nod. Kiku is read, though she has no weapons, no real change as occurred. Then again, is a Kaguya ever unarmed?
The only warning that Kiku's is given is Rise's foot shifting back and knuckles popping before she charged forward. In doing so she overlooked the basic lessons she learned from challenging Tsiro. Although the very thought of said Kaguya did make her that much more furious with her attacks. At very last instance Rise erred on the side of caution by giving Kiku a few fast paced jabs to the gut, followed by a seamless switch instead that flowed with the circular leg sweep she attempted. Regardless of her success Rise continued to press by propelling herself at Kiku and deliver a rage fueled punch towards the abdomen.
Noab eyes Rise critically. "Hmph. Super-soldiers, they call this sort of thing. Getting raw power by sacrificing clear thought, doesn't even have the respect a regular soldier ought to have." e.U But, Noab's not here to discipline a foreign ninja. He puts his hand out between the two fighters, then lifts it high. "BEGIN!" (Y'know, before the fight actually starting and all. c.c)
Kiku moves her head a little each way, just /barely/ dodging the jabs. She moves back a little bit before she dances away from sweep with a backflip. She takes a deep breath, and then gets punched as the bone plating kinda is a little late in the show. Kiku glares at the girl a little bit. "Thank you for the advice, Noab-domo.", she tells him as she coughs a little bit.
The bone plate under Kiku's eye starts to etch a symbol into it. Soon, the character for fear is etched into it. The woman looks Rise in the eyes. Soon, coming from Kiku's eyes are two phantoms rushing towards Rise, looking to cut into her. If her genjutsu is successful, the stadium would shift a little bit, and the crowd would almost become undead like, groaning, and moaning for flesh. The two phantoms continue to go after Rise.
Kiku smiles a little bit, and she reaches behind her. She draws out a large templar blade from out of her shoulder. Skin and blood drip off the blade onto the ground as the wound quickly heals itself as the bone blade starts to come down towards Rise. Welp…There's the start of the flesh ripping and blood dripping….Leave it to a Kaguya to get things off like that…
"Success.." She murmured underbreath and withdrew a still shaky fist. Soon after her eyes narrowed upon noticing something strange about the Kaguya. 'Did the bone just crack?' is thought as she peered more intently at the symbol etched seemingly etched into the bone plating. It was too late before she fully came to understand the true depths of Kiku's counter attack. Almost too late in anycase, because through sheer will power alone she managed to shake off some of the effects. In only partially succeeding however her vision went askew. One eye still locked on the phantom attacking while the other saw reality for what it was.
The confusion costs her some flesh and blood, but at the very least she managed to turn a direct strike into a shoulder shave. "Felt worse.." She murmured as she sprang upwards, sweeping both her legs about in a quick succession of spinning kicks towards the Kaguya's chin. The moment her feet touches the ground once more Rise would leap well over the Kaguya and lash out with a kick to either the back of the head or face should any attempt to follow the movement is made. The fun is of course continued by Rise stumbling into a charge as soon as her foot touched the ground once more with an arm extended as she lept towards Kiku once more!
Kiku smiles a bit as she moves around the attacks. Her movements are kept small, and she establishes a rhythm. "Now…I think I got it.", she says. The woman looks at Rise a bit as the girl tries to push her with taijutsu. The Kaguya woman smiles a bit as she dances between the strikes and her templar blade dances in her hands. The blade is driven into the ground as Kiku makes a few quick hand signs. Another phantom comes out to greet Rise, looking to take her offguard. Her worse fears slowly coming to life.
Kiku takes a deep breath, and makes a few more hand seals before sliding her hand down her bone blade. Soon, seals come to life on the blade itself, and the edge starts to glow with chakra. She smiles a little bit, as she spins around, and tries to give Rise something to worry about in real life as well as the illusions that Kiku brings to life. This woman is a little bit scary in how she can bring each of her styles together, and fight while using them. Especially her mixing of Genjutsu and Kenjutsu together.
Rise grinned and was impressed with Kiku's rhythmic movements despite how agitating it was to make even the slightest contact with Kiku. Her grin quickly turned into a frown however the moment her opponent decided to try using ninjutsu again. So long as the 'numbing' effect of the soldier pill was in place, Rise could do little more than bear her teeth and growl out something along the lines of "Coward" with a firm stomp of her foot. Her stance remained firm even as the phantom charged at her again alongside its creator.
She feared no undead. She feared no evil. The only thing she had to fear was weakness in this moment.
"Begone!", She cried out with another stomp and one powerful sweep of her arms. Which incidentally enough deflected the chakra reinforced blade. If luck was still on her side, the force of her blow would hopefully give her just enough room to seemingly 'flicker' in and out of view as she closed the distance then rose with a strong uplifting kick to chin. If she succeed Kiku would gain another shadow for a few moments before it tried to smother the air out of her lungs with a bone crushing hug. IF she failed Rise's persistently went for the more forward approach for the Dynamic Bear Hug!
As Rise comes in to kick Kiku, the woman stands still. Her chin grows a bone shield in front of it, letting Rise kick a harder then steel bone with her foot. Kiku blinks as Rise flickers behind her. Kiku ducks, and spins around the girl so that she's behind her. All of Kiku's movements are sharp and crisp. She leans close to Rise.
Kiku whispers in Rise's ear. "Now, learn fear. Know your weakness.", she whispers. The woman absorbs her camellia blade back into her, and then attempts to stab Rise with two Willow blades. She tries to lift Rise up, then spins around, attempting to go into blender mode to slash up up Rise.
Rise eyes widen with fear, then lit up with re-kindle rage as she rose and pivoted to try and keep Kiku in her sights. On instinct alone an arm guard is swept up to ward off the next attack, but beyond forcing the blade to impale a less vital area Rise is nevertheless struck. She gritted her teeth against the cry of pain that threatened to break out once the Kaguya forced her up and reflexively took hold of the blade to keep from falling further onto it with the aid of gravity.
As Kiku blender began to rev up, instinct and training forced itself to the forefront through haze of pain. In doing so, Rise was able to look pass the pain and 'roll' with the rotation until a chance to break free without upsetting her wounds presented herself. She hit the gravel rolling and kicking up a dust cloud in her wake. Then rose, coughing up a bit of blood and wiping off the remains of it soon after before locking her eyes back on Kiku. "… Your.. that ain't the right way.. to strike fear.. ya fake.." She managed to spit out before bursting forward with only one intent in mind. Trip up Kiku as much as possible and break through that tenacious armor of hers! Or more simply put, keep trying to double kick Kiku in the throat!
Kiku manages to dance her way past the first attack, but the second catches her flush, sending her flying. The woman takes a deep breath, and focuses her mind. She looks at Rise, and grins a bit. Her eyes locks onto Rise's, and tries to bring up Rise's worst fears in the girl. Kiku continues her work of using her genjutsu to set up her physical strikes. If her Genjutsu hits, Rise would feel her fears coming to life as she won't be able to move her body at all. Kiku takes several steps forward before running full tilt at the girl, and trying to slash her with her Willow blade.
The moment their eyes met Rise's entire body feel shaky. Out of defiance she glared right back at Kiku, sweeping away any spiritual or physical attempts to get her to surrender. Not after she had come so far. Fear nevertheless did find an opening in her mind by fueling her attempts to bound away from Kiku once she chose to try and close the distance between them. As a result of panic cloth, flesh, blood, and bandages is ripped from her body in a single sweep of her blade. The pain however helped sharpen her attempt in focus both resolve and chakra as soon as physically recovered enough to rise wearily back onto her feet.
Kiku takes a deep breath as she watches the girl in front of her. The woman knows that in a fair fight, she doesn't stand much of a chance against many opponents. That's why she mixed her styles together to form her one actual style. And it seems to be working as it forces Rise to go on the defensive. Kiku takes several deep breathes, and then sends out two more illusions towards Rise.
The woman rushes in after the illusions, and goes into a light dance, quickly moving about Rise before her willow blades slash out in small slashes, hoping to tag the girl. Kiku can sense that things are starting to fall apart for Rise. "Rest easy. Submit before this gets worse.", she tells the girl. Kiku is starting to really get tired, as her breathing becomes heavy.
Rise's eyes stayed locked upon Kiku no matter where she went. Clenching her fist, Rise rose to her feet unfettered by the illusions that continued to assault her left and right. "No." She stated simply as she danced along with Kiku, weaving and flowing amongst her attacks with barely a step or breath wasted in the act. As soon as the dance seemed to stop, Rise went on the offensive with a flying roundhouse. A feint in truth since it stopped just inches away before sweeping out with rising kick that carried her off her feet.
It was still just another feint though..
"Gotcha.." She murmured, reaching out from her handstand to try yank Kiku's leg out from under her. Then without missing a bit, Rise swung herself around and pressed onwards, spinning to aid momentum behind a reverse horizontal chop.
Kiku takes in a deep breath, and focuses her mind inward. She starts to channel a little more chakra into herself. She's been burning though it with this opponent, but the effects were clearly starting to show. But she knows she's starting to run on fumes herself. She looks over at the Proctor. "Sir. I do not wish to harm my opponent further. Any more genjutsus may cause permanent damage, or push her into coma. I ask that the battle be ceased.", Kiku comments. She takes a defensive stance towards Rise. "There is no need to continue this. You have fought well, but its not to be this time. Rest yourself, and in 6 months try again. There is no need for you to harm yourself further.", Kiku tells Rise. "Even if you hit me with a powerful attack, if it does not kill me or damage me to the point of unconsciousness, any more genjutsu used against you could cripple you or your mind.", she tells. Wow…Kiku…showing some concern? Whats the date? The world ending?!
"No."
Rise closed her eyes and shook her head wearily. "This is.. *pant*… this is the last time that I'll.. be participating in these exams." She stated breathily with a fist clenched tightly at her side. "… Besides.." She snickered lightly before a small coughing fit overtook her for a moment. "Compared to Naru-chan's genjutsu.. what.. what you've been hit'n me with so far ain't nothin." Rise added, smiling her infamous (unless one lives in Kiri) shark-like smile. It falters for a moment however as another thought occurs to her. "But.. I'll concede if and only /IF/ Jiji-san here makes me.. otherwise.." In reaching back to unclasp her supply pouch once more, the threat is solidified. And unless Noab spoke up now or hesitated too long, Rise is quick to launch a small barrage of kunai at Kiku. All aimed at whatever 'weak' point she could recall the Kaguya's having. This of course included the eyes..
Noab's single eye flicks back and forth between the two combatants. "I can tell you're both about ready to drop, but that's the problem — this fight is too close to call. If you end now it'll probably be called a draw, and neither of you will continue. So it's up to you, make your own calls." :P
Kiku takes a deep breath. "The difference between me and Naru is that her attacks are more potent. I use less powerful attacks in rapid order to force you to defend against them. When fighting, you have to know when to use a scalpel, and when to use a sledgehammer.", she tells. The woman takes a deep breath as she dances around the first kunai. The second she slaps away with the back of her hand as a bone plate comes out. The third she spins around. The woman makes several quick hand seals, and looks Rise in the eyes.
If this works, Kiku would change into a demonic monster, slowly coming towards Rise. Her dark eyes blaze with a deadly hellfire looking to rip Rise's soul out. A large blade would come up, and hopeful the genjutsu would paralyze Rise from moving, and driving her to her knees. The blade would come down on top of Rise, slashing her head off. Then Rise would feel her head bounce, only to watch the Grim Reaper coming to take her head.
In real life though, Kiku would just use a double Genjutsu, and slash at the girl once. "I am almost tempted to take that. If she does not submit after this, then I forfeit the match. I can't take much more of this, and I'm serious. I don't want to cripple her just to become Jounin. I'll do that enough once I am a Jounin. And I won't kill unless there's a point to it.", she tells. Wow…Kiku has some…twisted honor…Yup, world is ending.
Rise's will is more than enough to shake off the disturbing sight of Kiku's face distorting. Even a brief glimpse of it however is enough to delay her response time long enough for Kiku to slip a blade into an already damaged shoulder mid side-step. The pain incidentally drove her both to kneel and to bite down on her bottom lip, destroying whatever secondary attempt at Genjutsu the Kaguya tried. As the pain begins to grow numb (most likely from shock) and Kiku withdraws her blade, Rise forced herself to rise and put some distance between them by stumbling a few steps back before really focusing on anything else.
Once Kiku's words finally settle in her mind, Rise is not pleased one bit by them.
"…. No point?" She growled gutterally. "I aught—…" She trailed off, wincing then grumbling. "……. Forfeit then.." Rise managed to spit out with her eyes closed tightly and expression grim overall. If push came to shove, Rise would endure this 'humiliation' by another Kaguya. Albiet, there -will- be a lot of furniture being broken later in doing so.
Kiku does one worse to Rise. She walks over to Rise, standing over the girl for a moment. Her eyes show a clear distaste. "I am true to my word, Noab. She is in no condition to continue. Even the food pill has been used up.", she says. The woman turns around, showing her back to Rise. The insult is very clear to everyone in the stands and even to Noab. "I forfeit the match.", she says, walking off. "There is no honor in crippling or killing a fool.", she tells. The woman starts to walk off. "Last piece of advice. Learn what you can and can not do. You should already know this as a Chuunin. We are both at the very limits of what our bodies can and can't do. But now, my blade is starting to find you. But in this state, I fear I may kill you by accident. Thus I forfeit this match. If you can't judge yourself where the limits of your own body is, how can you judge the limits of your opponent or teammates?", she tells Rise.
Kiku starts to walk off, keeping her back to Rise. The crowd likely isn't very happy with that. But they likely get satisfied by the fact that Kiku is completely dismissing Rise as even a Chuunin. The woman starts towards the exit.
Noab doesn't comment on either fighter's philosophy. e.U He's here as a referee, not a judge. So, he's just gonna do what a ref is supposed to do. "Kaguya Kiku has forfeited the match," Noab announces. "Shirokiri Rise will advance to the next round. Medics." Noab signals to the other tournament staff, then turns and heads off the field. His work here is done for now.
It takes every, single, OUNCE of restraint that Rise had not to forgo every rule, both personal and otherwise, in favor of charging Kiku to try and knock her down before ground pounding her face in until even HER Kekkei Genkai can not repair the damage. And by some glorious miracle (plus the cost of fracturing a few bones in her hand) Rise does succeed in keeping up her fury in check and masked behind a flat expression. Clenching her fist is still not enough to fully contain the fury brewing within her battered body. She needed to say something, ANYTHING, if only to…
"You don't know n'ething bout my limits…" She stated roughly, then spun on her heel and stormed out of the arena. Unless the medics desired getting more than just a glare out of the young Shirokiri or were gutsy enough to try and sedate her Rise would successful evade any attempt on their part to try and help her. No physical wound she suffered were worth it in her mind.
Unbeknownst to all, the design for the seal upon her back had changed again…
