Starring:
Date: Unknown (log received August 18, 2011)
Summary:
None given.
"Bloody Mist Cup - Generation Gap: Takeshi vs. Nori"
Dammed Arena - Floor [Kirigakure]
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At the foot of the great march of bones that dams this tall canyon of blue-gray granite, under the shadows of the stands: the Kirigakure arena. Rivulets of water still escape the base of the dam and dampen the gravely bed of the dry river. The length of the canyon is limited by a raised platform at the south end featuring the referee's post and a large display board announcing the details of the match.
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The lights of the arena shine brightly on the floor, the crowd anticipating the upcoming matches. Their thirst for blood is quite insatiable. The more that is given, the more they cry for.
Appearing in the center of the arena, Onryou Maikeru comes out of nowhere. The crowd roars with applause and anticipation. "We're having fun now, aren't we?" he asks as he looks around at the crowd. "This next match is going to be so interesting I've decided to call it myself." Stepping back, he opens the scroll in his hand and looks down at it before looking back up to the crowd, allowing a few moments for tension to build. "Kaguya Nori!… versus… His Clan Elder, Kaguya Odori Takeshi!" The crowd roars with approval, and the Jounin takes a few steps back to allow attention to be on the entering contestants.
Nuu, the lights, the having to move around. Damnit, he wanted his rocking chair. He was holding onto his cane and coughing into his sleeve like the right weakling he is, because of his age you see. Because hell, who wants to fight the old man. So the decrepit little guy is just sitting there, half-asleep and choking on his own drool. What shall happen? We shall see!
As Maikeru calls out their names, Nori walks into the arena. He is not one for showmanship, he has no interest in the attention of the audience and their cheers or dismissive cries. He walks within proximity to the center of the arena and Maikeru, his voice a low rumble. "I grow weary of saying it, but I hold no ties to that clan beyond my name. He may be my elder in years, but do not think that I recognize his status beyond the title give to shepherd by his flock. I am no sheep, baying in fear of the wolf, but the wolf himself merely clothed in the flesh of his prey." He sets his feet, turning his attention on Takeshi.
As his shoulders tense, and his gaze flashes with a barely hidden animosity, Nori looses a laugh. Delight spreads across his face as his features seem to shift, his teeth grow sharp and his appearance more feral. "Come on Takeshi," he says with a growl. "I still owe you for the last time we sparred. Don't put on an act now." As if to make his point, and intent on break Takeshi's disguise, he surges forward, covering the distance in a blink of an eye. His fist swings up and forward, aiming for the old mans sternum.
"Very well," Maikeru says with a smirk as he looks to Nori. "If you have no ties to the clan, then Takeshi has no responsibility for you after breaking you." With a chuckle, he leaps back and watches the fight begin. He watches carefully, though there really are no rules other than 'do not kill your opponent or anyone else'.
Takeshi clambers forward, his cane hitting the ground, "Wha? What last time? I can't hear you," and then he's gone, sliding off to the side in a semi-circle, his fists coming forward to attempt to slam against the other kaguya's ribcage, "Yes, we shall see. Show me what the great Nori has learned from his lessons. Surpass me and surpass your name."
As Takeshi disappears, Nori's eyes narrow, tracking the elder as he whirls around. Nori doesn't even attempt to move away from the blow; in fact he doesn't seem to react at all, except for an almost imperceptible glow in his blue eye as chakra fills him. As Takeshi strikes, Nori's hand whips out and drives the force of the elder's attack back to its source. "That’s more like it!" Nori's excitement surges through him and with it his chakra. Electricity climbs out of his eye like spiders, and surges over his arms and around his legs like tesla coils, and leaps to the ground in bright flashes. "Let’s get a little more serious!" He laughs with delight; a wildness coming into his appearance that had been simmering beneath the surface for too long.
Takeshi is pushed backwards through the air and he slides to a stop, relatively unharmed by the boys counter. "Well good, I would hate for you to be only as good as you were a long time ago. But you know, I’m going to have to repay you for that. Let's see if you're any faster than you were, what with those iron boots you call feet." He flaps his arms around to even them out and then reaches straight up, cracking his back.
"Which begs the question. You want to get serious, but can you handle that boyo?"
He reaches up to brush his thumb across his mouth, "Bring it."
Nori grins. "Alright," he says, and his muscles bulge with tension, he drives forward, covering the short distance in the blink of an eye. "I will end you, so fast if you make one wrong step," he whispers viciously as he comes in close. He feints with his left foot as if he were going to kick, but suddenly plants it and uses the momentum to drive his fist forward once more, aiming surely for Takeshi's sternum.
Takeshi steps to the side again, that same speed present as the ground tears up from the movement and the shockwave finished up the rest. The hole left behind is but a memory of the attack and that leave the elder at Nori's side once more except he doesn't strike and moves backwards almost instantly. A grin appearing on his face, "That's supposed to be fast? No, no, no. You're doing this wrong. I'll show you speed."
And then he's just gone, in front of Nori, a finger trying to push against the other shinobi's stomach as the elder crouches down to deliver this blow, the hand pushed further if the boy doesn't move and then all the way in, trying to tear through his skin before simply letting go and pummeling the boy with a five inch punch, the force of which echoes around them.
The elder's face is strangely devoid of emotion. "If you really want to fight a monster. I can arrange that."
Nori takes the blow, his eyes narrowing. His feet skid across the earth as electric chakra surges between his bare toes and the soil and rocks, clinging to them with his chakra. "Oh? Aye, I think you might want to arrange that," he says. Suddenly, he moves, twitches, running out and around, crossing dips and crannies, seemingly circling the elder as he begins to form hand seals. Then Nori flips into the air and seems to vanish to those with the untrained eye.
Takeshi just stares after Nori as he begins to turn his powers over bone into use. "You know, I am genetically incapable of using Shikotsumyaku." He pauses, "That's right Nori, I'm not even a real Kaguya, but you know why I'm an elder? Because I'm not a simpleton that's fooled by simple illusions!" And then he's gone, seeking to send a palm strike into Nori's stomach before rolling around and slamming a fist into his back. "And I won't be fooled by stealth that bad!"
Nori watches as the Kaguya elder streaks across the space between then, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Alright, and I deny my blood ties to the clan, and yet still I carry the curse. But it is mine to use as it is your right to call me a member of the clan," he says, planting his feet solidly as he halts his attack. The elder drives his fists forward, and Nori absorbs the blows. Electric chakra surging around the elders fists as the plant against the younger shinobi's body, and Nori seems to tremble as the electricity flows upwards and through his body, and then he plants a double fisted blow against Takeshi's chest, returning the force of the elder's punches once again. He stands back up, rising onto his toes, and raises his chin. "We are what we are, elder, regardless of what we may think." He pirouettes in place, and springs into the air, spiraling around as a shower of bone needles emerges from his body and covers the area around him, causing earth and stone to spray from the force. As the onslaught ends, Nori flips over and lands, his eyes surveying the devastation and Takeshi.
Takeshi slides backwards and goes quiet for awhile, even as the bones pepper the ground around him, except that it doesn't work. The image of the man that once stood there is now being faded out by the needles punching through it and suddenly it is no more. How long hadn't he been standing there, apparently long enough to line up this next attack. It was time to get serious up in here, because that's what Nori wants and what Nori will get.
So as Nori lands he should expect Takeshi front and center, and Nori better come up with a solution really damn quick, like super quick, because otherwise, he's going to have palms slamming against his body unendingly, and after a time, it'll look as through three Takeshi's are slamming palms against him. And the end game? Well, if the kid don't move, the end game is a chakra gut puncher, a blast of pure energy to send the boy careening backwards through the air after hundreds of palm strikes by the three images of the elder. But Takeshi is quiet for now.
Nori watches as Takeshi steps in, and bone plates emerge over his body. However, he cannot protect every place at once, the ability still beyond him. Blow after blow strikes into Nori. Grunting with each blow, Nori falls back, each step given up with an accompanying growl of anger. "Give it up old man," Nori pants as the blows cease, obviously in similarly poor state. Blood runs from Nori's mouth unchecked, and he rises upwards. "This isn't going to end well for you." Suddenly Nori's wounds begin to mend, and the Kaguya begins forming hand seals, something cold and deadly in his eyes as he rises on the balls of his feet and prepares.
As the match seems to heat up just a little more with each passing moment, Maikeru simply watches with a faint smirk on his face. This is actually a little more interesting than he had figured it would be. When Nori mouths off, even after taking a serious blow, the Jounin chuckles a bit and shakes his head. He crosses his arms over his chest, watching calmly and not near the point of calling this match yet.
Takeshi twists his arm around, cracks echoing through the air as he puts his bones back into place. He doesn't seem to be doing that bad, though he is certainly starting to crack with each step, probably a sign of weird bone placement or just the fact that his bones are that out of whack, but one must wonder why he just keeps walking despite the sickening reset with each step. Another grin is offered by the silent elder as the figure walks forward, "My name is Takeshi Odori Kaguya. I am the Harbinger of War. I will welcome you into my folds and show you the pain that haunts the wicked."
And then he's gone again, this time bearing down upon Nori by slamming his sword palm directly from above into the boys chest, a grin on the elder's face, "You have mocked me, but someone loved you and asked me to leave you be," he pushes down harder, "But you didn't want that. So now, I'm going to sort you out my way." And finally the punch again, this time aimed to send him straight to the ground. "I am Takeshi Odori Kaguya, I am death that knocks on your door."
As Takeshi threatens to kill Nori, Maikeru chuckles a bit. Truth be told, he'd pondered doing that himself a few times, but he has reached somewhat of an understanding with the man… Not that he would stop Takeshi were it not for the tournament rules he set in place. However, he simply hangs back for the moment, not even giving a verbal warning as of yet. This is simply too amusing to stop.
Nori, focused on what he is doing, continues to form seals, his eyes shifting with Takeshi, still unnaturally focused. Chakra surges outwards, stopping Takeshi's blow in its tracks as he continues forming seals. The veins on Nori's arms, and over his body and legs continue to bulge outwards. As his feet shift slowly, turning so he might focus again on Takeshi, he replies, "Then you are weak, and the Kaguya should not follow your leadership, for you have allowed the words of another to influence you and divert you from what you think is right." He shakes his head slightly; his eyes still focused with deadly intent upon Takeshi. "At least I have respected you enough as an opponent to give you my full strength."
Takeshi just stands back and nods, "So, you're preparing for something. Well then, Get it over with damnit. I want to utterly embarrass you now, Nori Kaguya." He reaches up to brush at his lip with his thumb once more and then cross his arms, "Let's see this wonderful strength you think can defeat me."
Nori studies Takeshi for a moment longer, a frown spreading across his face. "Well," he says quietly. "I suppose it’s too late to transform and do something about it." The handseals cease and Nori focuses on Takeshi. "I don't believe in the path you've chosen to walk, I can only walk my own, and show you respect in the only way I know how." Suddenly he is standing on the other side of where Takeshi had been standing. "To fight you without hesitation, to treat you as if you are a worthy opponent, even if you do not treat me the same."
Takeshi just laughs loudly, then it turns into a cackle. "That hurt, a little, but what is it with you people and blocking my chakra pathways." He grins, "You're just as short sighted as Hashiramako. I don't need chakra to move kid." Then he leans forward, "Come on then boyo, kill me. I'll destroy you after my body starts moving again."
Nori turns around to look at Takeshi, a frown coming over his face. "You're beat, and you keep talking like you are not," he scratches his head, the pleasure that had been in his expression already gone. "Not that I blame you, I would probably do much the same." Nori walks forward, closing the distance between himself and Takeshi. "I don't know who Hashiramako is. He was probably kinder than me." Nori plants both of his feet, and curves his fists back. With deft strokes, he swings forward, first his left fist, and then his right. The first blow to Takeshi's gut, the second aimed toward the man's temple. There would be no outward physical evidence, but Takeshi would feel his bones and organs breaking as the force blossomed within his body.
Suddenly, Maikeru appears in between Takeshi and Nori, hand held up in either direction. Really, Takeshi kind of deserved that string of attacks because he let it happen, but Maikeru can't let this go too far. "That's enough, gentleman," he says as he glances between them, the glance to Nori almost daring him to defy. "The winner of this match is Nori, who apparently no longer wishes to be called a Kaguya and will die alone," the Jounin calls out to the crowd. There is a mixture of cheers and muffled laughter as the crowd celebrates Nori's victory and the efforts of both men.
"Pride comes before the fall, Takeshi," he says in a tone only meant for the Kaguya Elder to hear. "There'll be another day to handle him."
Nori growls, the only sign of his anger with his otherwise blank features, carefully schooled to be devoid of emotion. "I didn't win, Takeshi just lost, whether it be pride or misplaced affections," he says quietly. He turns away his expression cold and somber, making no effort to acknowledge the crowd or anyone else. Rather than take the exit beneath the dam, Nori leaps onto a wall, and then up it in several quick leaps. He vanishes over the top of the wall, disappearing into the night.
"We're almost done with Round 1, folks. There's only one more match," Maikeru calls out to the crowd with a faint smirk on his face. "And, if you thought this round was intense, just wait until you see Rounds 2 and 3. It's only going to get more and more insane." With that, he turns around and vanishes into thin air, the promise of blood hanging in the air.
