Starring:
Fuyu, Tsun, Chika, Daisuke, Hitoshi, Hinotori, Atsuro
Date: February 7, 2012
Summary:
None given.
"First Promotion Exams - Unlikely Rematch: Tsun vs. Hitoshi"
Sunadome Arena
[Fuyu:]
Fuyu has never been to Sunagakure before these 'Chuunin Exams', oddly enough. During the Clan Wars, she was mainly restricted to the territory that would become known as the Land of Fire. That's where her Clan was, after all. The desert is unfamiliar, but not new. Even so, it is hot and lame here. This tournament round started early in the day, when the sun was lowish in the sky. Even then it was warm, despite the freezing cold that was reached during the night. Now, after noon, the sun glares down on the precedings. Thankfully there's a dome in this stadium to keep people protected from the elements. Further, there are some airpumps to make sure there is plenty of oxygen available in the event of overcrowing consuming all the fresh air.
And merchants are making a killing selling hand-held fans and 'authentic desert protection gear' to all the people watching this round's fight. Every day it seems like, someone walks up to Fuyu and says, 'I heard you were dead'. She has begun to just reply with, 'The rumors of my death were greatly exagerrated.' She doesn't explain anymore. Especially not to random people she doesn't know. But some people are likely to still be surprised to see the Uchiha Clan Head down in the ring. She looks pretty good for someone who was nearly dead a few months ago. A white linen mantle about her shoulders and neck has been added as an accessory to her usual clothing, but other than that she is clearly recognizable… As is the red of her eyes.
The coloration is paler than a normal Sharingan, almost as though this is the 'normal state' of her eyes instead of something she is maintaining. Glancing around the colisseum, she takes in all the nuances and details of the structure itself, the placement of guards, the seating of the audience, how far away the esteemed 'guests' such as feudal lords and Kage and whatnot are from the arena floor, and all the other information a good ninja should be expected to pay attention to in the middle of a rival Village. She doesn't remember Hitoshi from anywhere… But she thinks she recognizes the girl.
"Attention, everyone." Fuyu calls out calmly, a conversational volume that shouldn't carry so well and yet does so through some trick of accoustics or skill at 'projecting' her voice like a singer can. She waits for the yammering of the crowd to settle a bit and then says, "The next match of the tournament round of the Chuunin Exams will begin shortly." She's very… Subdued. Not like most would have expected based on her reputation. "Kaguya Tsun of Kirigakure versus Taniguchi Hitoshi of Konohagakure. Contestants, to the ring."
Black-on-red eyes seek out the former of the two individuals named specifically, though Hitoshi is one to watch as well, being of her own Village…
[Tsun:]
Tsun had been one to disappear quite often within her own village, so it wasn't a surprise that within a foreign village no one really saw or heard of anything from Tsun until she was actually participating in tournament events. Besides, as some others may of thought, the place was hot and lame. So why even bother to go out and stick around to others in the heat instead of sort of creeping around at night, it more or less promoted Tsun's loner life style.
The news of who she would face first in the tournament had no effect on the teen, it was a Konoha Genin. They were almost never a threat. Tsun had no idea who this Hitoshi was or what he even looked like despite her already fighting him in the survival rounds and actually taking /his/ scroll.
As for being there for the battle itself, Tsun continued to be a ghost. Never showing up in the preparation rooms or anything of the sort. Her name was simply called and a child within the crowd would disappear from the crowd. In a swirl of red mist, the tiny Kirigakure ninja appeared with her gourd at her side. Looking slightly healthier, despite her hair being a bit messy, clothes a bit tattered and, jacket missing entirely. She did not smell horrible… that was taken care of at least but, it looked like the originally vain girl made no attempt to pretty herself up.
When she comes in, the sole visible eye of the girl shifts to Fuyu and just stares for a few seconds of awkward silence and then shifts back to look ahead to the entrance of the ring. A slow sigh rolls out flexing her fingers and balling them into fists a few times as she waits for Hitoshi to show up.
[Chika:]
Chika is sitting in the stands alongside two boys an an older looking man, apparently comprising her team with hear teacher watching them. She looks around at the various people in the stands noting the differing members of each villages, and the occasional repetition of markings and uniform designs when they can be seen. Noting Fuyu's red eyes, she squints and attempts to see whether or not she's actively using the sharingan before shaking her head and saying, "Sensei, is she using what I think she is?.." her sensei shakes his head in response, "No. Black markings appear in the eyes around the pupil when that doujutsu is used. I can see from here that her eyes are just red, though that is odd." Chika then looks towards Tsun and peers, apparently trying to figure out what the purpose of the gourd is, due to the relatively uncommon nature of someone carrying their own water to fuel the functioning of a jutsu.
[Daisuke:]
From the Stands: Daisuke settles down in the crowd, his arms across his chest as he watches the match start with Fuyu introducing the crowd. He had heard she had been hurt for a good while in Konoha and was happy to see she looked ok. When Tsun arrives Daisuke's eyes watch her and only her, as if his gaze was attempting to burn a hole in her or something strange like that. After the second round of the exams he had also made himself scarce until his match-up last night and made it his business to come watch this match.
[Hitoshi:]
The time had come and the preparation - or all that could be done - had been done. Hitoshi had readied himself to get ready for this last fight. Hitoshi was aware it was going to be a Kaguya he was fighting. The name, though… apparently, his memory had failed him. With a final twist of sports wrapping around his hands, he would flex his fingers, and then his name would be called for him to enter.
A deep breath is taken, and he rolls his neck, popping it once, twice. "Show time," he tells himself, before moving to tie his forehead protector around his head, tying it under his grown out hair and nodding, before turning and moving out of the preparation room, and into the arena itself…
As he steps out, he squints at the bright sunlight for a moment, and he then looks around, at not just the apparent referee… but the crowd as well, all those people and the like watching. He doesn't make any special gesture, and he makes no sign of recognition toward anyone. He's gotta focus…
At least, until he sees Tsun. And then his eyes shrink down, small. He says nothing, but the look he has on his face screams a million things, such as 'oh God, it's her.'
[Hinotori:]
Having changed clothes and kept an eye on his team, Uchiha Hinotori makes his way to another match that was begining. Having made his way to the stands, he smiles a bit warmly when he sees Fuyu is judging the match and he couldn't help but think she was looking pretty good since coming home. Still he was hear to enjoy the match since being taking from his duties for now. Dressed down, though sporting a pair of fingerless black fighting gloves with a metal plate with the Uchiha crest etched into it. The metal is more for show then anything else though.
As the fighters are introduced he has heard a bit about Tsun, hell he even remembers almost engaging her during the war, something he honestly had to admit he was glad he didn't. She is dangerous, and when Hitoshi is introduced as her opponent, he gives a slight bow of his head to the Konoha nin.
[Atsuro:]
Well, it's time for the one match Atsuro actually cares about enough to watch. Having found himself a seat with a good view, plus a couple more for his giant dog (and then a couple more just in case the other members of Team 10 decide to make an appearance), he's settled in with some bottled water and beef jerky for a snack. Even not knowing who Hitoshi's up against, he doesn't hold much confidence that he'll be watching another match… but there's always some hope for that, perhaps. He's even put down a little money on Hitoshi, just as a symbolic gesture. Although the boy's expression doesn't seem to bode well.
On an impulse, he decides to do some cheering. "Go, Hitoshi!" he calls out, "Make us proud!" Not what he would have /liked/ to call out, exactly, but he's pretty sure the enormous amount of profanity in his first choice would get him kicked out. Taizen adds a couple of barks in for good measure.
[Fuyu:]
Yes, that's the one… The one Fuyu saw at the golem factory, back during that OTHER war… She thinks she set Tsun on fire back then. She sees that the Chakra of the Kaguya girl is stronger than before, more vibrant… And perhaps a bit darker. She isn't quite sure what she's looking at, but she can guess. However, after Fuyu and Tsun have been waiting for a brief time, Hitoshi walks into the ring. He looks ready for action until he sees his opponent. Perceiving the tiny twitches of muscle movement, the body language being displayed, she gathers these two have met and that the boy is tense about this match.
However, not having Byakugan, Fuyu can gain no further insight into the minds or feelings of these two. She can not 'read' people by Chakra alone. So instead, at about the time that someone begins calling out encouragement to Hitoshi, the quiet, dark-haired woman takes a breath and calls out at just enough volume for the two competitors to hear her, "If you both are ready, you will begin when I call out to do so. I will be standing within the arena unless I must do otherwise. Do not target or intentionally endanger the audience, proctor, or other spectators, regardless of the barriers. Do your best for your own sake and that of those you represent." With that advice out of the way, unless there are objections to starting or some dialogue directed at her in response, Fuyu finally raises her voice and yells to the entire stadium (though somewhat hoarsely), "The match will begin as soon as I give the signal!" With a brief jog away from the pair, though not TOO far, Fuyu turns to face the Genin, raises an arm in the air… And brings it down. "Begin!"
[Tsun:]
The entrance of Hitoshi leaves the girl to look a little surprised. "Someone like him… huh." The Kaguya just shrugs and tilts her body a bit, leaning against the gourd as she shut her eyes, avoiding making eye contact with Hitoshi for the time being. With her eyes shut, she had braced herself for terror, a series of psychotic imagery that always kept her staring around at the world but, for once she could relax.
Tsun listens to all the voices in the crowd, she can not pick one out, neither of them were familiar enough for her to focus on. Yet… right now the multitude of voices left her feeling comfortable, her brain felt a lot less like a void within the tournament.
Not a single voice reaches her during her little moment of meditation but, there was a feeling. The feeling of someone watching her, in fact it came from everywhere. People staring at her more intently than she would like and her mind manages something out of the ordinary in a brief moment.
The girl looks up to Daisuke in the crowd just as Fuyu signals for the fight to start. Without turning away from the crowd she opens her mouth…
But, it just stops. Tsun sighs again.
Well, she's obviously thrilled to be here.
[Hinotori:]
Using his Sharingan, Hinotori focues on Tsun, but he's already know what he will see. "Hitoshi-san will be fighting for his life." he pretty much says to himself. His eyes follow Fuyu as she and Tsun seem to be staring at one another or more so Tsun doing the staring. Tension are still high between both Konoha and Kirigakure and Hino isn't going to drop his guard when any of the Kiri-nin are around or near any Konohagakure nins.
For now he watches and when Fuyu is off to the side he seems to relax only a little and looks towards Hitoshi. Hearing the shout of encouragement for him, Hinotori only smiles.
[Daisuke:]
Daisuke's gaze catches Tsun's eye and the chuunin simply nods his head slowly, his arms still crossed over his chest even as he hears the words 'Begin!' Despite the crowds roar and the match beginning he will continue to watch Tsun close, tuning out the others for now.
[Hitoshi:]
As Tsun begins to apparently ready herself, Hitoshi's feet shift on the ground, and he decides that, maybe, it's not a bad idea to do the same thing. When the 'Begin!' is given, he nods a little bit, taking a breath and letting his arms come up, his fingers clasping together as he forms a simple handseal - the Ram - and his eyes focus on Tsun, watching her… What was she getting ready to do?
He breathed in, focusing, letting his eyes drink in the field in front of him and letting his mind begin to clear out, finally… He's gotta keep himself sharp if he's going to walk away from this with any kind of dignity. Or with any kind of bone not broken.
As he focuses, he lets his chakra system work, stirring himself up and getting ready for what's going to come… his mind clearing out and his thoughts only on the field in front of him, finally, as he begins to examine his options…
[Tsun:]
The look from Daisuke causes Tsun to smirk somewhat, catching what she was doing she quickly looked away and straightens out her expression. The sole eye rests on Hitoshi once again. "I am sorry, Hitoshi. I originally felt I was done with this tournament." Tsun eases off of the gourd, paying no mind to Hitoshi's gathering of chakra, "It's good that I decided to show up." Her hand takes a hold of the cork on the gourd, her hand squeezing it until it shifted form into a sort of handle, fitting like a glove to her hand. The tattered child looks to the handle for a moment, continuing to take her time, it didn't seem like Hitoshi was planning to move.
"Good luck."
As she says that, the handle is drawn, revealing a basic dagger connected to it. With a quick flick, the water is shaken off. With a quick dash step forward, Tsun closes in, going for slash starting from the bottom and running up Hitoshi and then bringing it back down to try and stab him in the shoulder.
[Hitoshi:]
Handseals begin at the first flick of movement, and Hitoshi is apparently nowhere near ready for the incoming attack as Tsun closes in. The two clones he had managed to generate both 'POP' with spiels of smoke as she runs headlong into them, and Hitoshi curses… before it's too late…
SLICE!
A splash of blood goes flying from the first slash - clean across his shoulders and just below his neck - and he bleeds freely. He tries to get his arms up, but then—
STAB!
The dagger sinks into Hitoshi's shoulder, and he winces, visibly, groaning and trying to break back… as he does, he moves with an odd cadence, his left arm a little flobby from the fact he just got stabbed in that shoulder… "Damn it," he groans out, forcing him to bring his hands up and start forming his handseals again… As he does, he tries to open the gap, moving back and shuffling his feet as he does… and once he's a little bit away, he lets loose…
With fire.
He starts blowing, and out comes several bursts of flame, keeping up the wall. Some are small, while the others take legitimate form in the form of flaming shurikens… Hopefully, he can head her off. Make her guesstimate as to where to go.
[Tsun:]
Tsun pays no mind to the clones, charging through them without a second glance back and nailing both of her strikes. As Hitoshi attempts to open the gap back up, Tsun does not plan on giving him much room. The blade is adjusted to get a better grip as she comes charging in, not an ounce of tact in her movements, further shown once Hitoshi manages to get some hand seals off.
Tsun does not even slow slightly, though there is a moment of shock when the first shuriken locks into her. "The hell." Her arms come up in front of her, attempting to divert some of the oncoming damage from anything vital, arms being torn and burnt as she breaks through the attacks, the girl sliding to a stop. Wide eyed, she backs up a few hops returning to her starting position.
Continuing to be much more quiet than her usual self, she doesn't seem to be mentally functioning at the moment. The dagger loosely held as her open eye shifts to the gourd at her side for a moment. "O-…ouch." Her right foot slides back a bit, despite the damage dampening field, taking that much of an assault from fire had an effect.
[Hitoshi:]
When the first attacks land and they cause the girl to slow up, he frowns a little bit, continuing to back-pedal and open up the gap further. He watches the girl, his eyes focused on her… she -did- look worse for wear than when she was in the caves. What had happened to her? Was she hurt prior to getting into the match today?…
No, don't focus on that. Focus on the task at -hand.- Shuffling back on his feet and continuing backward, he begins to form more handseals, this time firing off even more of those blazing shurikens and letting them scatter through the air… three possible directions the girl may go. Something is holding her back, but Hitoshi can't put his finger on it. What's the deal?…
After letting loose with even MORE fire, Hitoshi crouches down, getting ready to bounce himself out of the way, his fingers still clasped hard in a handseal as he watches the girl. "Come on! You're a better fighter than this!" he calls toward her, waiting and watching…
[Tsun:]
Tsun continued to look pathetic out on the field. She glanced at a shuriken that was still stuck in her torso and gives it a quick tug and with a wince she manages to pull it out. Her breath becomes labored as she looks to the gourd once more just before Hitoshi starts sending more fire her way.
It looked as if she wasn't planning on stopping the attack once again, it looked like she was waiting for something to suddenly happen like Hitoshi diverting the fire somehow out of pity, perhaps? Whatever the case, she narrowly evades quite a bit of the flames by timing her movements and shifting about them, getting nailed a few more times.
She lets off a few coughs after taking in a deep breath from the smouldering fabric of her shirt, "Damn it…" She groans and just flings the dagger at Hitoshi. The weapon's design doing nothing for its aerodynamics, it should've not flown too far but… it appears to shift shapes as it goes, heading dead on target for Hitoshi.
[Hitoshi:]
Well, that was poorly planned!
As the dagger is flung, Hitoshi seems to think it'd be a good idea to try and block it off with a shuriken of his own, bringing it up for metal to meet metal.. instead, just -slightly- off cue, Hitoshi's hand is grazed by the blade, and he winces a little bit, growling some and watching the girl. The Hell?…
He tries to shake that off, looking to the cut on his hand and wincing some, but he just shakes his head, before beginning to form the handseals again. He furrows his eyebrows, concentrating and formulating his next scattershot… this time, they go diagonally, from left to right, up and down, as he breathes out the bolts of fire, letting them fly down the field and take form of the shurikens…
"You were a lot more forward in our last fight!" he calls out. What is even happening here?…
[Tsun:]
Tsun's hand trembles after throwing the blade, the light arcs of dulled pain managing to mess with her a bit. "Focus." Tsun puts her mind together, so much more room to think. So much more to think on, her brain felt stressed from a battle that she could usually handle half asleep. "Focus…" Her eyes go into a squint as she focuses on Hitoshi who manages to get hit by the blade to her surprise, a blade that just melts into a puddle shortly after its course is complete.
Though it appears that attack wasn't enough to slow him for long as he starts performing a more wild assault and just how Tsun entered the arena, she would disappear for a moment in a swirl of red mist, appearing much closer to him. "I… don't know. I wanted to prove something but…" She raises her hands up.
"Even with this barrier." Tsun's mind shifts, she could probably still kill him. She should've did it earlier. A slow grin shows, wave after wave of ice chakra blasts out, attempting to lock Hitoshi up in ice. If caught, he may just end up part of her gourd's collection of her 'wins' but, this barrier will protect him, right?"
[Hitoshi:]
And there it was. "Ah, sh—"
The chakra bursts right through another clone Hitoshi had thrown up to try and defend himself. His arms had come up after the handseals to shield his face and head as he tried to make himself shuffle, trying to dodge himself out of the blast of oncoming cold power that she'd just unleashed… but the chakra washes over him, and he's frozen in a crouched down stance when it clears him… his eyes squinting and his body frozen solid. He's not moving, and stuck in that one position. The sun glints off the layer of ice covering the boy, reflecting slightly… and oddly enough, not really showing much sign of melting very quickly.
[Tsun:]
The grin starts to widen, her hands slowly come together. The ice around Hitoshi begins to tighten the shift between annoying, to uncomfortable, to outright painful coming on very slowly until it suddenly all stops. One hand drops while the other goes up to clutch her head, mumbling to herself. "It's not working." These words said over and over again as the teen starts to go into some sort of panic.
Eventually she calms down, thankfully the ice manages to hold true and Tsun looks to the ice block. Her heart in an odd place as it was too places at once. On one end, she was heavily into the battle to the point of wanting to kill him. Yet, for that same reason she wanted nothing to do with the battle. There was a long moment of hesitation, perhaps the crowd was getting bored at this point but, she didn't care.
She'd just get up and move next to her gourd. With a snap of her fingers, the ice shatters and she attempts to play it off cool as she rests her palm on the gourd, "You looked like such a dumbass in that pose. A fitting look, it seems like that's all who this exam's good for. Tch." Resolutions. How long can someone keep them up? Whatever the case is with Hitoshi now, Tsun looks to the proctor and grumbles. "I'm done." With that she vanishes once more not showing back up this time around.
[Hitoshi:]
—wait, what the Hell?
After a moment or two more, the ice begins to give way, and Hitoshi falls over onto his knees when it finally does, and he gasps out in pain as he holds himself down there on the ground, shuddering slightly from not only the cold, but the intensive pressurized pain he had been in. He breathes in, deeply, expecting the final blow. He hadn't seen Tsun run, or disappear… or whatever the Hell it was she had done. But when he lifts his head up, he looks around, ready to keep fighting…
But there's no one to fight. "Wait… what?"
He begins to look around again, blinking and rubbing the back of his neck as he looks around. He watches the stands for a second. No, she's not coming from there. She's not in the ring, either… So, where was she? He looks toward the officiate, and he shrugs his shoulders slightly, unsure of what exactly he needs to do at this point….
[Tsun:]
Hitoshi couldn't really look to the crowd for help, the whole lot of them appeared to be baffled. It would take a while but, a bit of awkward clapping begins then some 'BOO's roll in, possibly directed towards the runaway opponent but, it really would appear that he actually won the match by Tsun just giving up. It would soon be announced that Hitoshi moves on to the next round and Tsun was out of the Exam's tournament.
A winner is you!
