Starring:
Date: January 17, 2012
Summary:
Daisuke and Sora fight it out to see who gets the scroll in the Jounin exams.
"First Promotion Exams - Proud Opponents: Sora vs. Daisuke"
North Shiren Caverns
Sora had gone to the front of the cave. It was only logical that someone would double back at some point, perhaps to check for stragglers. Before that she managed to scrounge up her food supply and actually secured a good amount of weaponry. Now she'd be waiting for her opponents. And someone else. But she'd quickly gotten bored from her plan, and now leans against a wall, waiting. Despite the tedious process of waiting for someone to come into her range, Sora stands with her eyes half lidded, perhaps from lack of sleep, but her pupils are wary and watchful. She's standing beside a cluster of stalagmites, not in immediate view, and ready to pounce.
It had been a few days since the start of the second portion of the Jounin exams and Daisuke had been wandering around the maze of tunnels exploring each. He had met a few furry and scaly friends in his few days but after the Ancient Forests around the Water Screen Caves these animals were tame. Eventually Daisuke had met the southern portion of the caves with the lake and decided he better double back as he had yet to meet anyone. And so that is where the young red-headed chuunin found himself, heading back down a tunnel that opened up into the cave near the entrance, whistling a happy tune. "I can't wait to meet everyone, I haven't been too social lately so this is a good opportunity for me to find a few new friends." he says as the mouth of the tunnel he was in opened into the area that connected all the tunnels.
Sora sees Daisuke and is about to strike, but his words stop her. She glances between the gaps of the rock formation to see him. An ally, hmm? She's measuring this possibility before she scraps it. Now, she has another possibility. Strike out of the shadows or step forward honorably. If this were a mission what would she do to an enemy? Strike! But to just another competitor. Talk! So Sora does a bit of both. Daisuke would only get a moment's warning as Sora steps into view and sends the linen cloth encircling her wrists unravelling to wrap around him. And she'd hold him there. "Hey Leaf-nin," she says with a smile. "I'm Sora of Sunagakure. Gimme your scroll and I'll let you walk outta here. Whaddaya say?" But she doesn't strike, perhaps even misses her window of opportunity.
Daisuke was too busy whistling to notice the bandages in time to get out of the way and gets all wound up, literally! "Oof." he says as he stands there, wiggling like a worm. He looks over to where the bandages came from as the young woman steps out of the dark. "Hi, nice moves. I'm Senju Daisuke, and unfortunately my pride is a little too large to just give up my scroll to you." he says with a toothy smile, common for the light-hearted chuunin. "Sora, that's a nice name. I've always liked the sky, though particularly at night with all the stars." he continues with, wiggling a bit to stay standing.
"Your name isn't bad either, Daisuke-kun," Sora smiles rakishly. "I'd hate to rough up a nice guy like you," Sora says. She considers him for a moment before yanking the bandages so hard he'd twirl and perhaps fall, but she doesn't attack him while he's off guard. However, the moment he's on his feet she wouldn't give him a chance to counterattack as she dives forward and aims a series of slashes. Not with a sword, just with a sharp kunai, but she wields it with a proficiency far beyond that of the standard kunai-using shinobi. "I'm afraid I have pride too, I can't let ya leave with that scroll. You're of the Senju Clan though…I won't understimate you."
Daisuke is struck by the first attack as it cuts through the bandages, opening up a cut on his side. The second slash strikes his side but most is hit by crumbling earth that coated his body since he was free of the binds. He jumps back, the smile still on his face as he focuses some of his stamina into useable chakra.
"I'm sorry I didn't catch your clan name, but as we are both prideful creatures, I will not take you lightly either." he says as his hands flash through a series of seals. His chest expands with chakra before he lets out a torrent of flame, followed by another wave to heat up the space they were in quickly.
Sora leans away to avoid the gout of flame. However when the next one comes she just raises her arms to shield her head, and gets blasted with intense heat. It leaves her armguards steaming, as she swings her arms as if to get them loose. "Oo ouch," she says. "I'll give you my name if you defeat me." She's gathering chakra in conservative amounts, and now she throws a flurry of metal projectiles at Daisuke in the cave. But she throws another even faster volley that hits the first, sending them flying in unpredictable angles. Then Sora steps back to try and conceal herself in the shadows.
Daisuke gets struck by a few of the kunai as they deflect off his armor of earth, ready to make a move after only to find out that the girl had vanished again. He looks both ways, remaining silent, looking for signs of the girl and deciding to go with another option while he waited. "If beating you is what it takes to get your name, then I will just have to stop holding back. I apologize in advance if this hurts you, I'm still kind of new at this."
It was then that the confines of the room begin to heat up at an alarming rate as Daisuke began to leak red chakra from his body. His sleeves and pant legs rip as the width of his arms and legs expand, muscles protruding from where they were barely shown before. Daisuke's red hair begins to grow down his back and appear on his arms and legs as the reddish chakra completely envelops him now. Four ape-like tails have appeared from behind Daisuke as they too are covered in chakra and Daisuke's wounds begin to hiss as they close right before his eyes.
Daisuke stands in the same spot he was mere seconds ago a completely different looking person, lifting his head in the air to sniff for any sign of the girl, hoping to scare her out of hiding.
Watching from her place of hiding, Sora blinks in astonishment. That red aura… that transformation… could it be… he's a bad guy!? As she watches the damage she inflicted is vanishing before her eyes as if he were a final boss battle. Well, she'll just have to bring the hurt down on him if he's going to be mending himself. She comes out low to the ground to slash hard at his knees before leaping up to ram a knee into his chin, addling his head and making him severely dizzy for some time. Her theory that he's a bad guy is almost completely proven when she feels that evil aura up close. "Are you…you know?" she asks.
As Sora comes out of her hiding place with an attack Daisuke can't help but be impressed at her resilience, it wasn't often that people stuck around long enough after he had released a bit of his power. The first attack is absorbed by the reddish chakra surrounding Daisuke but the second attack breaks through. "Oof, nice job." he says as he gets winded momentarily. He seems to act the same way as before, at least, if not a bit less light-hearted than before. He looks up curiously at Sora and asks, "Am I…?"
Uma had been sneaking along the caverns for a few days now, watching people fight. Mainly gathering intelligence. She is crouched low to the ceiling, moving along at a slow pace to avoid sound. Using techniques developed under ANBU, chances are she goes unnoticed. It's quite a curious sight to behold. Daisuke and his.. red chakra? 'I've seen this chakra before..' she thinks, slowing to a stop and remaining deep in the shadows.
"…a bad guy?" Sora asks darkly. She doesn't attack in time to capitalize on his dizziness unfortunately, but at least she's broken his charge. She doesn't relent. A rush of wind howls through the tunnels and crevices to blast Daisuke back and off his feet. Followed by Sora diving heedlessly at him only to burst apart in a stinging, hammering whirl of wind that would blast him back even further.
Daisuke braces himself with his arms as the gust of wind hits, his feet digging into the ground to keep his balance as the red flames flicker in the wind, feeding off them. "A wind user! To fan my flames, we make a good team. As far as being a bad guy… well I guess bad guys are in the eye of the beholder, so I will let you decide that." Daisuke says with that large toothy grin shielded behind his cloak of chakra. It's then that Daisuke strikes, the chakra around his body shooting forward to try to surround and bind Sora so she is unable to move. The less intense burning chakra would not be noticeable to Sora who probably has yet to experience a fight with a Bijuu, but nonetheless if touched, that chakra burns. After the chakra chases Sora down, Daisuke opens his mouth as a large ball of chakra forms inside. Daisuke spits a massive fireball towards Sora, though this ball is much darker than pure fire and does not look friendly.
Sora uses unnecessary bursts of stamina to avoid Daisuke's attacks. She looks a little nervous. She'd never seen anything like this, what are they? Nervous but collected. She's using the walls to ricochet skillfully off them, ducking and weaving between the mass of chakra. Then she leaps above the fireball and comes down hard to disappear at the last second. He might heard the soft landing off feet on the ground before Sora is behind him, aiming a brutal slash from his chest to his waist. Even though it's a kunai she wields it with the ferocity and precision to be as damaging as a sword. "Guess it is," she says, "but I was more asking about that pink chakra."
Daisuke takes a hard hit across his arm with a nasty cut as Sora springs back to attack him, appearing behind him to strike the blow. Daisuke jumps back to put space between them, the wound causing his concentration to go a bit fuzzy as he focuses some more of his chakra. But the blood dripping down from his arm did not make it to the ground, it begins to float within the reddish chakra and pool up near his mouth. The blood begins to mix with the chakra, creating a small black globule. Daisuke suppresses the ball, condensing it into something no smaller than a pill before swallowing it.
Daisuke's stomach expands as chakra begins to surge from within the cloak. His mouth opens and, in an instant, a massive wave of lava-infused chakra erupts, heading for Sora. The walls, stalagmites, and stalactites around the area crumble as the beam-like blast is released, leaving the cave much wider in its wake.
Sora is staring in amazement as Daisuke gathers energy. Such is her fascination that she barely has time to shift her footing before she's hit by the blast. She's knocked back, and manages to skid and land on her feet and hands. She stands up, shaking visibly. Perhaps from fear, or perhaps from the shock of the attack that's reduced her to tatters. She's staring at Daisuke as she says, "I've seen this before. Aren't you being a bit…ah nevermind." She grips her kunai and visibly gathers herself.
Then, she steadies herself. "Shall we see who can take the most hits?" she asks with a reckless smile. "Feel free to give up anytime." Then she disappears as if the shadows have swallowed her, only to appear behind him. Above! She dives down from the ceiling to aim a slash this time to nearly cut off his right arm. Let's see him gather chakra as a cripple! She shudders however being so close to him. What she wouldn't give for a hundred feet between them and more proficiency in wind ninjutsu.
Daisuke takes a breather after that one, watching Sora. "If you think I'm about to go crazy, I wouldnt worry. I've long since made a pact with my companion." he says with a light smile, picking himself back up. As the girl suggests seeing who can take the most hits, Daisuke grins, trying to block the attack with his cloak and being only moderately successful. Another cut opens up on Daisuke who winces in pain. "I guess… I should show you… the depth of my pride."
"Introducing the combination pair of Senju Daisuke, the red-headed bishou-nin from Konohagakure and nephew of the great Hashiramako and the Handsome Monkey King of the Water Screen Cave; the King of the Sage Monkeys, bestowed with the Dharma name of Son by the Sage of the Six Paths. The Great Sage Equalling Heaven…. who really needs to work on his name because I am never saying it again!" Daisuke announces as his body takes over a massive red cloak but returns to normal size. The cloak illuminates everything within 100 yards of each entrance to the cave yet the flames are warm, almost calm, if possible. His large wound on his arm begins to sizzle as it heals up, allowing Daisuke to stand tall and proud once more.
Sora watches without interrupting as Daisuke assumes yet another level of his transformation. She almost wants to back off a few steps, but stands her ground. But she seems more surprised at his actual introduction than his transformation. Nephew of the Hokage, Ape King, named after the Sage, and she actually laughs at the end when he mocks himself. But she's seriously considering standing down. It wouldn't be cowardly, not at this stage. Besides, she's panting and sweating. She's really had to exert herself to land some blows on him.
"Fine," she pants, her eyes narrowing. "Let's see if you've gotten one iota better." Probably has. But that doesn't mean he can dodge the next predictable but elusive attack. She dashes at him, and would seem to speed up, only to leap right over his head. Or seemingly do so as she is moments later right in front of him, aiming a lunging stab right at his chest.
As soon as Sora misses she tosses her kunai away and raises her hands. She straightens up. She's fully in plain sight. "I give up," she says quickly, dropping her hands. She'd seen the level of his defenses. "I couldn't possibly defeat you. Your level within this cave is far beyond mine, Senju Daisuke." Rather than sound defeated or angry or sad, she seems to say this tactfully. She's calm. Or almost calm, as her hands shake slightly, giving her away. Daisuke might believe her words since all her fighting spirit has vanished, as if she has no presence at all. "I'm prideful…but not suicidal. Do you want my scroll?"
Daisuke moves with fluidity as his reliance on his cloak to block the incoming attack is justified by it's successful defense. His emotions and constant babbling have been replaced by this silent, almost eerie, demeanor. He reaches out with his hand as if she were right there within it and the chakra charges forward, extending all the way towards Sora or at least moments before when she speaks of giving up her scroll. The massive clawed hand of chakra inches from her face, Daisuke sighs and nods his head, his wounds hissing as they continue to close. "I will take your scroll, but you promised you would give me your name if I beat you, I have yet to hear it. I have the utmost respect for prideful ninja like yourself, and I am as curious as a Monkey." he says, keeping the claw there.
Sora winces as she feels that last attack still gnawing away at her. Like a sting so bad she wants to itch it, which she actually does, before catching herself and stopping. She looks at his wounds closing and sighs. "Wish I had that," she mutters. She rummages in her pack and tosses him a scroll. Or chucks it at his face. She's turning to leave, but now she thinks of it, she did promise to tell him. "Hayato Sora," she says. "Clan head and partner of Megami." Her look of loathing around the caverns is evident. Damn these caves. They're probably made especially to ruin her life. But she wouldn't risk her bird getting caught in here, who could easily smash into the many stalactites or get trapped with no escape. "I can't let her come here, even if it means losing. Hopefully I have enough tricks in my bag to pass this, but I can't if I'm a smear on the wall… Jinchuuriki." She seems to weigh that word, not judgmental, just thoughtful.
"It's nice to meet you Hayato Sora. If you are at all hindered in these caves then perhaps when I visit again someday we can have a rematch? Out in that bright blue sky we both seem so fond of." Daisuke says, adding, "It is very respectful for you to hinder yourself like that for a friend. I can see why you are the clan head." He smiles as he catches the scroll, his chakra receeding back within him. "I'm glad you know what I am. If you know, then you probably knew another. My pride stems not from my abilities, but from my life growing up around people who knew what I was. Can you tell me of how you know about people like me?" he asks curiously as he sits down on what's left of a rock.
Sora raises an eyebrow at that. "I wouldn't mind a rematch sometime," she says. "I suppose these caverns are spacious enough to fly through but maybe not. She seemed to think they were big enough, heh. Anyway, I'll see you around Daisuke Senju. As for the Jinchuuriki in our village, she doesn't hide much who she is. But I'm not sure I should be the one to tell you, you can find out for yourself." Then she'd leave the spot she'd lay in wait, limping a bit. It seemed her plan had backfired. Hopefully not all the opponents were monstrous as him.
Finally, Uma steps from the shadows, "Daisuke-san. We are quite efficient at keeping secrets from our old teammates, aren't we?" She asks with the friendliest tone Uma can muster, which still sounds dangerous and cold. She moves over towards him with her byakugan flaring, examining him like a lost puppy, before looking over at Sora, then back to Daisuke.
Daisuke smiles and nods his head. "That's great news… that there is someone like me here, and that we can have a rematch out in the open sands. I'm truly glad to have met you because I have learned a lot, you've even given me some tips for some cool taijutsu." He would offer her some bandages that he had on him with burn ointment before she goes, a bit jumpy when Uma just appears. "Yikes!" he says as he turns around, spotting Uma. "Uma-san, how are you? Not sure what you mean."
Sora accepts the bandages and starts patching herself up with expert care. She's clearly not a person unused to getting hurt, as she doesn't so much as wince. Sora spins around when Uma reveals herself and shouts, "Pervert!" That word echoes through the entire cavern. She stares hard at Uma. "Oh…whoops. Guess not, I coulda sworn the other day…hmm." She stands up now, quickly finishing her impromptu first aid and fetching her kunai. She looks at Daisuke. "She your ally?" she asks. From her expression, she's suspicious of Uma being a stalker pervert more than an illgal participant.
"I have no scroll if you're looking for a fight…" She's already back on her feet, ready to face a potential threat. Not attacking, just waiting. A bit wearily though, she'd taken quick a drubbing.
The Hyuuga finally releases her Byakugan, "In all the years I've known you, you've failed to mention you were a Jinchuuriki. I never noticed it before.." Uma had been away from the village for at least a year now. It might be quite a shock to suddenly see her hear.
At being called a pervert, Uma's already piercing gaze tightens and she sneers at the woman. When she realizes Sora made a mistake, she let's go of her slapping-intent, but keeps a cold eye on her, "It'd be no challenge. If Daisuke-san can beat you, then I could with my hand tied behind my back. Perhaps both." She doesn't need to fight physically, her tongue is as sharp as her blade. Realizing it was a double-edged insult, she looks back to Daisuke, "No offense, still have never sparred you with your.. bijuu." Yawning lightly, Uma leans against a stalagmite.
Daisuke covers his mouth, the childish laughing half-muffled by it as Uma is called a pervert. Eventually he can't help but laugh out loud, needing a good one after that fight. "She's an ally, an old team mate, and probably much stronger than me already. You were watching our fight, Uma-san?" he asks the Hyuuga curiously. As she explains the knowledge she has on him before threatening Sora, Daisuke moves inbetween the two women. "Now now. We just had a match and everyone is still recovering. As far as my bijuu and I, there was a reason. My aunt forbid the knowledge of me when she formed Konohagakure until I was ready to master the thing inside. Only recently we both went on a mission and did just that. Now that I can work together with Son, there is no cause for her to watch over me. I hope you aren't hurt I didn't tell you, Hino-kun didn't even know…" and that was saying something.
Sora looks, if anything, even calmer now that Uma is here. And then she laughs, not a nice laugh. "Senju Daisuke, my guess is you're one of the most powerful contenders here. Aren't you a bit ashamed to have this woman as your companion, who claims she's better than the lot of us? If you are better, Hyuuga, then you're like a musclehead terrorizing the sandbox, waiting for her moment of glory in the arena." Then she grins at Uma. "Anyway…I could beat you if you had both hands tied behind your back. At this point you wouldn't be able to use the seals to activate your Byakugan and wouldn't be able to use any of your Juuken. I'll tie my hands behind my back if you do, I have enough moves."
She takes a light footed stance. "So…bring it. That or admit you can only beat me with one hand tied behind your back."
Uma peers at Sora for a few seconds, "I do not need to prove myself to you.. besides you're underestimating my abilites by assuming I only know how to use Juuken." She rolls her eyes, ignoring Sora's attempt to goad her into fight. Truth is, it would be awfully hard to fight at a high level with no hands.. she'd have to rely on her Juuho, which is not nearly as well developed as her Juuken. "Anyways.. I'm not hear to fight right this second." She looks between the two, "I will see you around." With that she slips into the shadows and disappears.
Daisuke looks a bit worried as the word exchange gets less friendly. "Three prideful ninja in one area never mix well together. Uma is very strong-willed, but I am ashamed of none of my friends. We all have our situations and reasons for how we act, that just makes us who we are. Kami-san knows I've done some pretty stupid things in my life, but my friends are still there as my friends." he explains to Sora, showing that fierce loyalty of his. As Uma goes Daisuke breathes a sigh of relief. "I will see you around, Hayato-san. I hope to see you in the next round." With that the red-headed chuunin waves, heading deeper into the caves to find that lake and bathe.
