Starring:
Date: April 23, 2013
Summary:
Masanori encounters Hibiki at the training grounds, and Hibiki discovers a nibble of his capabilities, shocking the tar shinobi.
"Hibiki Rises"
Genin Testing Area [Kirigakure]
It's early afternoon still in the hot days of summer. In the Village Hidden in Mist, that means humidity. The air is saturated with the evaporating weight of the mist, the perpetual fog just slim fingers running over the ankles and calves. Though the heat may be on, and the humidity drawing wet those who dare venture from the cool comforts of shade, there is no rest for training shinobi, especially those beneath the militaristic heel of Kirigakure. Hibiki is much like many other Genin at the testing area: sweating in practice, wearing few clothes, aiming to be perfect in even adverse conditions. Several Genin sit against the wall of the Testing Area, their breaths heavy and their eyes wild. Many others practice with each other, either working on specific techniques or sparring. Regardless, in the heat of the afternoon, there is much much blood and sweat.
Hibiki himself is shadowboxing, weaving around and into an imaginary opponent, his hair wet and sticking. The boy is clothed in a short-sleeved shirt and shorts, his sandals scuffed and dirty, bandages wrapped over the skin of his arms and legs.
COMBAT: It is now Hibiki's turn.
COMBAT: Hibiki focuses 3500 stamina to turn it into usable chakra!
COMBAT: Hibiki finishes his turn.
COMBAT: Hibiki finishes his turn.
COMBAT: It is now Masanori's turn.
Masanori had been relaxing under the supervision of his Chuunin guard. Spending most of his time reading, watching the training. He spend most of his time watching training somewhere else, interested in this more organised structure of the genin training area. Gazing at the cruelty as nothing but natural. He does spot Hibiki, who is yet again… all alone. And poorly dressed… maybe the kid is poor? Contemplating if perhaps a gift … (something he read about)… Maybe that would settle the … tension.
He hops down the stands and walks up to Hibiki. "Hibiki." He states firmly, his chuunin perking an eyebrow. "Eh." Masanori lifts an arm to shush him, and the chuunin abides by it. "I will not hurt anyone, as I told you over … and over…." He says firmly, before turning towards Hibiki. "Unless specifically requested to." He comments, squatting down next to Hibiki. His chakra flaring. "Do you wish for a sparring partner? Much like the other practicing children about?" He asks, adjusting his mask. "I would gladly assist."
COMBAT: Masanori focuses 500 stamina to turn it into usable chakra!
COMBAT: Masanori finishes his turn.
COMBAT: It is now Hibiki's turn.
Hibiki stops, sweating, panting, tendrils of hair stuck to his cheeks, tickling his neck. His eyes are white and wide, thrilled with the exhiliration that comes with furious exercise. Hibiki doesn't particularly like Masanori, he who leaves everywhere dirty. And he was - amongst such a full, thronging crowd of Genin - fighting alone for a reason. There is peace in solitude — there is quiet, and accomplishment of the self. But no more, it would seem.
"Hibiki is not the tired one, so he is ecstatically supportive of your suggestion."
A heavy breath heaves from the boy.
"But I-"
Here the Genin pauses, his eyes running up and down Masanori, and then to the easily silenced Chuunin guard. A frown mottles his face a moment, but his gaze returns to Masanori and the disgust is gone.
"Hmm. You know. I accept."
The youth takes a few steps back, his jaw tightening, his toes curling his sandals into the dirt. His neck twitches, as does the corner of an eye, and it seems his entire mien ripples. But all becomes calm again.
"After you, of course."
RP: Hibiki transforms into DYOU-I.
COMBAT: Hibiki finishes his turn.
COMBAT: It is now Masanori's turn.
Masanori just observes him as he displays his quirks. He still has no clue where it originates from. But in due time… as Meruin told him. "Good." Masanori just concludes, watching the boy twitch and move about. He perks an eyebrow behind his mask, before his fingers trail over his scythe. "No blood…" He simply states. "Not for you anyways." He adds, cringing as if something is putting pressure on his skull. "None.." He adds, before turning to Hibiki, slowly rolling his neck around. "Lets dance.." He comments… thinking for a moment, lifting fingers by his right hand, placing them against his chest while he puts his left hand, a fist behind his back, before bowing deeply. A greet he has seen Eastern monks do before training… right before he slaughtered them.
"Reflexes first." Masanori states, and then he dashes off, aiming to dig his fist into Hibiki's stomach. Though holding back enough not to cause any internal damage.
COMBAT: Masanori attacks Hibiki with TAI-TRAINING…34
COMBAT: Masanori finishes his turn.
COMBAT: It is now Hibiki's turn.
COMBAT: Masanori attacks you with TAI-TRAINING and rolls a 34. Action?
COMBAT: Hibiki defends against TAI-TRAINING(34) attack from Masanori with a DODGE-II…38
COMBAT: Hibiki wins the roll.
Whereby Hibiki's stomach had been, it is not where Masanori's fist ended, the boy twisting out of range at the last second, a small grin dashing his face.
Around the Testing Area, several Genin have stopped their own practice. It is not terribly unusual for their to be a spar within the Arena, but it's not every day that the shinobi get to see an outsider fight a local. Also, it is a terrific excuse to cease working in the stinking heat. Several other Genin still fight - a buckle of lightning here, a bullet of water there - but there is something of a crowd forming, however small it may currently be.
As Masanori's fist misses Hibiki's stomach, the youth retaliates himself, first a fist coming across and down to lower the face of Masanori, and then a second fist coming up and over to meet the tar man's fallen visage.
COMBAT: Hibiki attacks Masanori with PHYSICAL…29
COMBAT: Hibiki attacks Masanori with PHYSICAL…18
COMBAT: Hibiki finishes his turn.
COMBAT: It is now Masanori's turn.
COMBAT: Masanori defends against PHYSICAL(29) attack from Hibiki with a DODGE-II…40
COMBAT: Masanori wins the roll.
COMBAT: Masanori counters against a PHYSICAL(18) attack from Hibiki with a TAI-TRAINING…22
COMBAT: Masanori has successfully countered the attack.
Masanori smiles as he managed to dodge him, nodding in approval. "Nicely done." He says in friendly encouragement, simply sidestepping Hibiki's fist strike, his face does indeed go down, but instead of dodging the second one he quickly lifts his left arm from his back, tarry hand clasping around Hibiki's wrist so his fist doesn't even hit Masanori, who tries twisting it so Hibiki ends up on his knees due to the forced joints.
If he succees he follows up with a kick with a stretched leg to Hibiki's shoulder, aiming to send him sliding a few meters. If Hibiki didn't succumb to the joint-lock, he would dash off towards him, moving both hands foreward to aim a double palm strike at Hibiki's chest, aiming to shove his back with that.
COMBAT: Masanori attacks Hibiki with TAI-TRAINING…31
COMBAT: Masanori finishes his turn.
COMBAT: It is now Hibiki's turn.
COMBAT: Masanori attacks you with TAI-TRAINING and rolls a 22. Action?
COMBAT: Hibiki defends against TAI-TRAINING(22) attack from Masanori with a DODGE…30
COMBAT: Hibiki wins the roll.
COMBAT: Masanori attacks you with TAI-TRAINING and rolls a 31. Action?
RP: Hibiki reverts to his normal state.
RP: Hibiki transforms into DYOU-II.
COMBAT: Hibiki defends against TAI-TRAINING(31) attack from Masanori with a BLOCK-III…51
COMBAT: Hibiki wins the roll.
Hibiki is quick enough (or perhaps sweaty and loose enough) that Masanori's hand does not stay stuck to the youth's wrist, the boy slipping it out of the other's grasp. The kick, however, comes unnoticed by the Genin, who was focusing more on how he was going to respond rather than comprehending the rapidity of Masanori's strikes. The tar man's heel comes flinging toward Hibiki's shoulder, but right before it strikes, a hand pushes out from the youth, stretching from his shoulder, knocking the foot aside and out of way.
The Genin doesn't move.
His eyes are hunting now, finding, searching for something that belongs not in plain sight. The boy looks almost frightened. But of whom, of what, there is no certainty.
Some of the gathered Genin look strangely on, their eyes widened and intrigued; whereby others return to their martial studies, the pause too long for them already, the event not enrapturing enough.
COMBAT: Hibiki finishes his turn.
COMBAT: It is now Masanori's turn.
Masanori stops in his tracks as the foreign hand blocks his attack. Slowly sliding back. "Interesting." he comments, nodding a few times. "A pleasure meeting you, friend .. or enemy of Hibiki." He doesn't know who or what that was, but it seemed to protect the body. It can't be all that bad. "This doesn't mean I go any easier on you!" He comments, slipping out the scythe from his back.
"What do you say? Make this a little more interesting?" He asks, dancing the weapon around. "Don't worry, I know my weapon… I will not cause any permanent injury, scars … are however a distinct possibility. Do you wish me to remove the weapon?" He asks politely. Not minding to keep to hand to hand. Especially if Hibiki decides facing his scythe might be slightly scary. Which is understandable.
COMBAT: Masanori finishes his turn.
COMBAT: It is now Hibiki's turn.
Masanori's words slingshot back Hibiki's consciousness, the boy's eyes sharpening in the awareness of where he is, and what he is. A grin slowly pokes the corners of his lips up his cheeks. He laughs, a fervor of life from his gulping throat.
"Oh yes yes, yes, yes — interesting, interesting, yes."
The boy's head nods a few times, rhythmically.
"A challenge, hmm?"
The boy stands tall, thrusts a finger at one of the staring Genin, a boy wearing glasses.
"Kunai," demands Hibiki, his voice vigored.
"Yaaaah, Hibiki-san, why are you always borrowing my kunai? Why don't you have your own?"
"Just… now is- give me a damn kunai!"
"Yaaaaaah!" says the boy, but into a pouch at his waist he digs, pulling forth a kunai and tossing it to Hibiki.
"But you make sure to give that back!" cries the boy.
Hibiki shakes his head, but crouches into a stance, the blade held backhand. And for a purpose, the blade just on Hibiki's pinky, his hands flush together, sprinting through hand seals, and then his mouth is open and from it spits a bullet of water pacing a rapid way to Masanori's chest, and behind it floods the Genin himself, a heavy punch to crash upon Masanori should the bullet hit or miss.
COMBAT: Hibiki attacks Masanori with AQUA-BULLET…28
COMBAT: Hibiki attacks Masanori with POWER-PHYSICAL-II…26
COMBAT: Hibiki finishes his turn.
COMBAT: It is now Masanori's turn.
COMBAT: Masanori defends against AQUA-BULLET(28) attack from Hibiki with a DODGE-II…36
COMBAT: Masanori wins the roll.
COMBAT: Masanori defends against POWER-PHYSICAL-II(26) attack from Hibiki with a DODGE-II…34
COMBAT: Masanori wins the roll.
Masanori hops back as an answer to the water bullet, fairly easily sidestepping it. Jumping back and straight up to dodge Hibiki's fist. "One moon…" Masanori states calmly, the scythe dancing closely around his body, forming a deadly shield, the blade is moving so fast it becomes invisible to the naked eye. But a pattern starts to arrise, the blade's afterimage lingers long enough to form half a moon on Masanori's right side every five seconds or so. Masanori then suddenly approaches, passing by Hibiki, though using the scythe's superior range to suddenly lash out at him… once….
He then turns around, he would seem out of range, but when he moves the scythe in with the blade facing himself the blade actually gets further than expected! He's using solid tar to extend his reach! Trying to pull Hibiki in front behind, followed up by a kick towards Hibiki's chin.
COMBAT: Masanori attacks Hibiki with SHARP…27
COMBAT: Masanori attacks Hibiki with TAR-REAP…31
COMBAT: Masanori attacks Hibiki with PHYSICAL…37
COMBAT: Masanori finishes his turn.
COMBAT: It is now Hibiki's turn.
COMBAT: Masanori attacks you with SHARP and rolls a 27. Action?
COMBAT: Hibiki defends against SHARP(27) attack from Masanori with a DODGE-II…38
COMBAT: Hibiki wins the roll.
COMBAT: Masanori attacks you with TAR-REAP and rolls a 31. Action?
COMBAT: Hibiki defends against TAR-REAP(31) attack from Masanori with a DODGE-II…25
COMBAT: Hibiki loses the roll and sustains 351 damage.
COMBAT: Masanori attacks you with PHYSICAL and rolls a 37. Action?
COMBAT: Hibiki defends against PHYSICAL(37) attack from Masanori with a BLOCK-II…28
COMBAT: Hibiki loses the roll and sustains 216 damage.
COMBAT: There are no more attacks for you to defend against.
The initial sharp of the scythe is avoided by Hibiki, the boy deftly dodging the stroke. But he is quickly caught off guard by the extended reach of the bloodthirsty blade, the weapon hooking around the boy's back and pulling him forward into Masanori, the surpise such an unexpectation that the kick to the youth's chin catches him swiftly, knocking his head back.
But when Hibiki's visage returns, it bears with a snarling grin, a startling expose of teeth and mania. The youth is close now. Literally, yes, that he is but a step from the tar nin; but, more importantly, close to himself. His selves, perhaps.
With a soft windup, the boy lunges the short distance between himself and the other, his fist cocking back, the knuckles white — but right as the blow is to land, right as the impact is to erupt, two additional arms flash forth from the youth's shoulder, now three white-knuckled mitts surging for Masanori's head and chest.
COMBAT: Hibiki attacks Masanori with POWER-PHYSICAL-III…43
COMBAT: Hibiki finishes his turn.
COMBAT: It is now Masanori's turn.
COMBAT: Masanori defends against POWER-PHYSICAL-III(43) attack from Hibiki with a FULL-MOON-BLOCK…45
COMBAT: Masanori wins the roll.
Masanori notes the change, taking a small step back while the scythe twists around his body. "Full moon!" He states, the blade responding while glowing with the droplets of blood it took off Hibiki. Spinning around in front of Masanori, deflecting the blows incoming, but barely. He phews. This boy is scary! "My my… what strength!" He comments, while taking a step foreward aiming a kick at Hiei's knee, followed by a seal, which causes a mirror image of him to rise from his waist, launching an uppercut at Hiei's chin. Masanori then spins his scythe over his shoulder while he's in close range. Hibiki isn't the only one who can fight as close range, the blade of the scythe dangerously quickly passing over Hibiki's shoulder.
COMBAT: Masanori attacks Hibiki with PHYSICAL…27
COMBAT: Masanori attacks Hibiki with TAR-CLONE-STRIKE…12
COMBAT: Masanori attacks Hibiki with SHARP…23
COMBAT: Masanori finishes his turn.
COMBAT: It is now Hibiki's turn.
COMBAT Hibiki is poisoned (2 rounds) and loses 38 health.
COMBAT: Masanori attacks you with PHYSICAL and rolls a 27. Action?
COMBAT: Hibiki defends against PHYSICAL(27) attack from Masanori with a BLOCK-III…36
COMBAT: Hibiki wins the roll.
COMBAT: Masanori attacks you with TAR-CLONE-STRIKE and rolls a 12. Action?
COMBAT: Hibiki defends against TAR-CLONE-STRIKE(12) attack from Masanori with a DODGE…19
COMBAT: Hibiki wins the roll.
COMBAT: Masanori attacks you with SHARP and rolls a 23. Action?
COMBAT: Hibiki defends against SHARP(23) attack from Masanori with a DODGE-II…27
COMBAT: Hibiki wins the roll.
COMBAT: There are no more attacks for you to defend against.
As Masanori's foot comes forward to tackle Hibiki's knee, from the boy's appendage own flushes forth a hand, deflecting the attack. The boy stops again, but this time a wicked smile combs his lips. He moves liquidly to remove himself from the clone's uppercut path, and too from the blade of the scythe. But such new work is taxing, it seems. The boy is flagging, losing momentum with each move made. The poison from the tar creeps into the youth's spine, and he winces, taking a few stumbling steps back. He's not off his feet yet, but his vigor - being so drained from his practice already, and from all the effort of discovery within himself - is losing itself amongst the sunlight-dripping day. He won't be able to keep pace for much longer.
Hibiki holds up a hand, the one with the kunai, and drops the weapon into the dirt.
"Yaaaaaah!" exclaims the boy with glasses, but he doesn't move from his position.
Hibiki is sweating fatly now, his clothes drenched, his eyes sagging and long.
"You are proficient, shinobi. But that does mean we like you any more."
A small grin cracks the heaving breaths of the boy's mouth.
COMBAT: Hibiki finishes his turn.
COMBAT: It is now Masanori's turn.
Masanori nods. "I do not need your liking. It is earned over time…" Masanori states, sounding wiser than he should be, putting the scythe onto his back. The weapon demand of blood ringing through his skull, which makes Masanori cringe. Stumble onto one knee, before he too smiles behind his mask. "Not today.." He says.. while walking up to Hibiki. "Allow me to …" He's moving slowly and carefully, reaching out with his right hand for a handshake. Before squatting down next to Hibiki.
"I can take out the tar… I can attract it.." He states, while carefully moving his arm around Hibiki's back, near the cut, placing his finger on the skin. Hibiki can feel the liquids in his body shift… but soon the stinging is gone… Merely the feeling of a fresh shallow cut remains. "I hope I did not hurt you too much? It was not my intention." He bows once at Hibiki.. trying his best to show he meant nothing but to be of assistance. And that he appreciated the boy's effort.
As Masanori begins to kneel near the boy, Hibiki's mind fires with thoughts of looking to crush the nin's head with as much force he can muster. But no hatred was allowed to squeeze forth from, as Masanori began to extract the tar from the wound, leaving it clean and free of poison. The boy's hand unwinds itself, the fingers freeing themselves from the palm. Hibiki simply watches as the other stands, and bows. The boy bends over himself, but only to retrieve the kunai in the dirt, which he flicks back at the glasses-wearing Genin, the other bobbling - but eventually successfully catching - the weapon, stuffing it back into the pouch at his waist.
"The pain," says Hibiki, staring now at Masanori, "is only of the body. It is freedom to Hibiki. Though we are no longer sure if he is so right of that any more…"
Masanori crosses his arms. "Pain gains us nothing…" He sits down, crossing his legs. "There is either life or death. Aspire to be living, healthy… And take that blessing. Or die, and that that blessing… the release of the burden of the twighlight in between." He speaks of the time he's been kept on the brink of death for years in his youth. By the hand of his own father. Praying for death that would not come.
"Does Hibiki wish death? If not… then he should aspire to live." Masanori stands up. "If he needs confirmation to see if he's living, try placing your palm on your chest…" And by those words Masanori stands up, taking a step back. "Or am I wrong?"
Hibiki watches awkwardly as Masanori sits, and then rises again, the other apparently unsure of which position he would like to take. As the tar shinobi continues, the Genin snorts.
"We all wish death. Do not be witless. We wish death: either for us, or our foes. Our very nature creates us heralds of the dead."
The boy sighs, the crowd nearly scattered but for a few who do not yet wish to continue their practice. Hibiki's breath is less drawing now, more even its rise and fall. The boy suddenly laughs.
"Hibiki notes that shinobi do not have to wise to be proficient. An apt observation, no?"
"Not all of us are fit to be bringers of death. Shinigami." He states his name.. or his former name…. He doesn't know anymore. "The unsuccesful die. They are blessed. The succesful bring blessings." He turns around. "The rest… falls into torment… They are scratching walls untill their fingers bleed. Screaming for salvation which doesn't come from above or below. They are doomed, but let go of your nature. And you'll become a beast in a cage." He disappears after those words, a flash of his scythe visible by the Chuunin escort, who seems to get up to follow Masanori to his quarters.
