Friendly but fierce fight(closed)

Posts : 542

The sun was a bit higher in the horizon than when Kana had first met with Saitou. Their whole meeting and course of their dialogue had been led by something that could not have been mistaken by chance or whim. Kana seldom took this kind of field trips; he was more concentrated in training and studying, his initiation exam looming in the horizon. Yet today, it seemed that he could do little else but to answer the sudden urge to go on a nature walk.

It had been on the calm forest surrounding Konoha that he had met Saitou and the pair had talked about subjects much too deep and personal for a first meeting. Regardless of the reasons, the two now faced each other in a commonly respectful spar that would give both of them an insight into the skill and true personality of the other. The setting could not have been more peaceful. The pair stood in the middle of a wide clearing, about 50 meters in diameter, the inner wall of the clearing held new trees, about five to ten feet in height and varying widths. Behind these trees were the much larger and older trees of the fire country. Some reached as high as 80 feet and as wide as five men wrapped around them easily.

Kana stood about 30 meters from Saitou and about 10 from the edge of the clearing. He carried with him his Genin pouch and a flute on his hip but nothing else. His stance was peculiar; his right hand had gone into his pouch to produce three senbon, which he held in between his fingers like cat’s claws. The left hand was held parallel to the ground and at about chin level. He raised his voice in order for his partner to hear. “Please stop me at anytime and I shall do the same if we need to. I do hope that I can make this an interesting fight for you.”

With that, he would spring into action. His right hand would snap towards the front sending all three senbon flying. With skill born from intense training, he would release each of them at just the right moment. Their trajectories would take the left one towards the upper right shoulder, the middle towards the belly button area and the right one towards the left upper leg of Saitou. All three projectiles sped towards Saitou at fighting speed; Kana’s arm was not one that would put much force behind a weapon other than those of an average shinobi. As soon as he had let the weapons fly, he started running diagonally towards the left of Saitou heading towards the woods. He possessed no special power other than that gained through training. His speed would match but not exceed your cut of the mill ninja. As he ran, Kana’s eyes would stay on his opponent to see if he got hit or what sort of counter attack the probably deeply skilled Saitou would unleash.

Age : 25 Posts : 1767

The chill that had greeted the skin of the purple haired boy had vanished, as the early morning breeze sweeping down from the mountains headed to other land. With the biting chill gone, Saitou stood opposite Kana. Although the two had recently met, The young genin felt a bubbling respect inside of him. He faced a ninja who had trained and worked hard, devoting his life to Konoha, and willing to sacrifice it, if needed. It had been an odd meeting, one that hadn't been planned. Their paths had crossed whilst enjoying the early-morning scene, with dew littering the leaves of ancient trees, edging on, by Saitou's opinion, nearly 90 ft tall. The numerous flowers, whose names eluded the boy, sat proud in their wild bunches, among other vegetation brimming with life.

It was then and there the two solitary boys had met. Saitou had been craving an escape from the bustling maze of streets he called home, and had decided to come to a spot he frequented. High up, in one of the more emergent trees, Saitou had what he had dubbed his "reading hole". A large, crevice had sat there, and, using his kunai, Saitou had carved a much more spacious area. He stored a plethora of books, a few drinks, and a box for depositing sweets, and had always found the spot peaceful. In fact, he'd never noticed a human soul cross his path whilst he sat there. Although, he was engrossed in his books, so it was possible. That was where he'd met Kana, which, after a conversation and a pleasant walk, had led to a friendly spar.

The area in which they had chosen was large, and open, which suited Saitou. However, to his dismay, there was no near-by water source. He decided that he would just provide himself with his jutsu needs. The young boy began to limber up, something he'd made a habit of, before taking his place. Now, he stared into Kana-san's brown eyes, his own violet ones twinkling. A smirk stretched itself across his face. He was worried that his opponent might see this as mocking, or hostile, but he was always like this in a fight. Saitou Masaki loved a challenge, and this guy might just be able to give him one.

Kana took a stance similar to the one he had used when Saitou had surprised him, before taking something from the contents of a pouch. Three projectiles were hurled at the purple haired genin in a sort of diagonal line. As they came closer, he realized they were senbon. They were aimed well, but this was just a probe. Nothing more. He stepped to the right, whipping through hand seals, the senbon originally aimed for his shoulder still on target. As they came closer, the boy smirked confidently, before saying confidently "Suiton style: Mizukiri no Yaiba!" The yell sent pigeons flying out of the trees in a flurry of panic, as a sword made of a perfect water appeared in Saitou's right hand. He was no sword user, but he could slash. The senbon was about to impact, when the blade he held smashed it downwards, and it spiraled into the earth. It was then the violet eyes of the boy caught the sight of Kana moving quickly towards him, from his left. He reacted quickly, his hands buzzing through more hand seals. He knew little of his opponents technique's, and decided it was best to find what kind of a fighter he was. "Suiton style: Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu..." Saitou muttered this time, and two clones sprang into existence along side him. They charged at the incoming opponent, one on the left, one on the right, holding a kunai each, attached together by four meters of a thick wire. They attacked from each side, hoping to move around and behind Kana, snaring him in the rope, whilst the original moved in. If this failed, they were to use their Kunai as close-range weapons, whilst Saitou attacked from a distance. Adding the final piece to his quickly assembled plan, the boy muttered yet another jutsu. "Bunshin no Jutsu..." An unsolid clone appeared infront of him, nothing but an illusionary Saitou, whilst he dived behind a tree on the brink of the clearing. The illusion stood in the same, low stance, in the same spot. The original held his sword low, concealed by shrubbery, watching the fight from his spot. His tactic might be seen as cowardly, but he was simply observing his opponents fighting style, before going for a frontal attack. It gave him time to plan and know his enemies fighting style, without having to risk anything. He was worried that Kana would look down upon this technique, but Saitou knew that he should put that aside. Unless Kana-san had noticed his quick body switch with the illusion, he wouldn't even no until the purple haired-boy was behind him. But another part of his mind nagged at him, thinking it was an honorable duel, and he should fight face-to-face. He would, however. Just not now. The boy didn't expect his attack to work, but it would put Kana under pressure, having to fight the clones and then make a counter.

OOC:
Jutsu, Chakra and equipment:

Spoiler:

Posts : 542

Kana followed the trajectory of his Senbon out of the corner of his eyes. The projectiles flew straight and menacing but not deadly. Any shinobi could see that, which was why he was not surprised when his opponent merely side stepped the lower aimed ones. What did catch his attention was the way Saitou dispatched the last of his senbon. Kana was always eager to learn and he made a mental note of asking the other Genin about the sword made of apparent water that was solid enough to knock if off course and safely towards the ground and one would swap a fly. The other technique did not surprise him as much though it made him much more cautious. He had seen real clones in action and knew that they were as solid as the main person. The fight had transformed from one on one to three on one. Even if the clones were no real threat, the kunai they both sported would be all too hurtful if he came in contact with them.

The bronzed Genin had been paying close attention to the approaching clones to notice the subtle switch Saitou had made with an incorporeal clone. Regardless, his priority right now was bringing the odds back down and Kana prepared to do just that. Changing the direction of his run abruptly, he sprinted towards the clone coming from his right. He hoped to catch the clone unprepared at the un-characteristic direct assault, especially from a medical nin. As he ran, Kana quickly ran through a string of hand signs. He felt the chakra build up inside of his as every cell in his body delivered a piece of their life force to his command. The electricity he called up crackled softly as it escaped from his fingertips. To avoid a miss, Kana charged in low avoiding the Kunai if possible by blocking or if unable to do so, he would take the injury but his other hand, which also held a charge, was to deliver a punishing blow to the solar plexus of the clone.

Kana was unaware of the wire connecting both clones. However, the charge should be live and potent enough to deliver the same or slightly less punishing voltage the other clone due to the small distance it had to travel. The bronzed Genin was not a tactician, but he was a thinker and with the few jutsu he knew, he hoped to impress Saitou. The blow was aggressive and full of commitment. Kana hoped the real Saitou was not among the clones; he did not wish to hurt a fellow shinobi but had no qualms about delivering a world of pain to clones or to the enemies of the Village Hidden in the Leaves. With his current move in motion, there was little Kana could do other than act according to the reaction the mirror images of the boy he had met in this solitary spot in the woods of Konoha.

Spoiler:

(-3/5 senbon. -5/70 cp)

Age : 25 Posts : 1767

Saitou watched as Kana fought of his hastily planned asualt. He sat behind the tree, a smirk ever present on his michevious face, as the purple haired boy watched the impressive counter, making mental notes to himself. As he watched, he realized Kana was using a jutsu that he too could use. He's a Ration user, with at least some experience in ninjutsu, similar to me, so I should try avoid using any jutsu he may know. It was a hinderence, fighting someone whom may know some of his jutsu, so he decided to use original jutsu, or attack with Suiton. The tree was thick, and could be used as defence later, if things got too hairy, but he doubted he would need to run. Saitou watched, picking his moment carefully. After holding himself back a little longer, he sprang into action, burtsing from the cover of the large oak, 5 makabishi placed in each hand. They landed in nearly neat rows to either side of his opponent, covering about 1 meter line each. Then the boy realized. The wire. Kana was going to take both clones with one blow!

Of course, Kana was careful, and went in for a close combat hit, wanting as many chances as possible. One of the clones saw the Makabishi and attempted to avoid them, which was his downfall. Kana-san's jutsu went low, and he dispersed into water, beaten. Saitou's other clone knew what to do, their thoughts shared, and executed his task without a moments hesitiation. He leapt away to the right, avoiding the jutsu and punch, before getting as close to Kana as possible. Just in time, the fake Saitou placed a hand on his opponent, and plunged the kunai deep into his own stomach. The purple haired genin found it gruesome to watch, a version of him stabbing itself without a second thought, but he couldn't waste time, not now. He ran. As the clone reverted to it's natural water state, The fluid dripping to the floor. Now.
His hands flicking through handseals, he prepared his next jutsu. "Haran Banshou - Stormy Upheaval!" His voice rang through the forest, Before another sound arrived. The sound of gushing water. It appeared just above Kana's head, ready to crash down on him. But Saitou wasn't taking any chances. The blow would be heavy and would sweep the other away if he were to be caught in it. Even after the ninjutsu, the purple haired genin's hands didn't stop flicking, his grin gone, now replaced with a furrowed brow and a determined stare. "Kangekiha - Inspiration Wave..." this time it was little more than a mutter, a whisper drowned by the mass of water, lost in a soft wind. A cackle of energy. The water was soon to be alive with the stuff, witch would be unpleasant for Kana, if he had managed to run from the huge cascade. As the water came down, hard, Saitou confidently leaped backwards, before scurrying 20 feet up a tree, his feet pulsating with chakra as he looked at the scene below.

The of water sword sat snugly in his hand, as he prepared his defences against Kana's counter. The boy would have to run from the huge oncoming mass of water, whilst making sure not to step on the caltrops. If he got hit by the eletric charged liquid, then Saitou would be able to jump down and get him to the floor. He used one more jutsu, not wanting to take any chances. "Raiton Toku..." He muttered this one also, although not worried that it would be heard. A dull glow of lightning formed around his body, a shield which wasn't the most reliable, but close combat and Taijutsu wouldn't end too well if used against him now. The centre of the clearing would be enveloped in eletricified liquid, as would most of the space.

OOC:
Jutsu and Chakra:

Spoiler:

Posts : 542

Kana hit one the intended clone easily, the mirror image of Saitou distracted by something. The punch plunged deep into the abdomen of the clone and kept on driving with such a force that would have lifted the real Saitou off his feet. The clone, however, merely dissipated into electrified water. He had turned to join the other in melee battle when the other Saitou actually faced him. Grabbing his hand, the clone did something Kana never expected, the kunai was not meant for Kana, perhaps it never was, but the expendable Saitou plunged it into his own body. The result was a rushing of water, water the suddenly bubbled up to tower over the young Genin.

Thinking quickly, Kana did a standing back flip towards the edge of the forest, which took him five meters from the now cascading water. Knowing that distance would not be enough to avoid being swept away by the resulting flood, as he back flipped, Kana ran through a quick series of hand sings and clapping his hands in front of him, the chakra that he had build up manifested itself into a great gust of wind. As the law of physics states, for every action there is an equal reaction, when the furious wind pushed forward towards the water, Kana was thrown with the same force up and back towards the edge of the forest. The total distance travelled was about ten more meters, just five meters shy of the edge and safety of the woods.

As expected, the cascading water fell and rushed outward in every direction, hopefully washing away the makibishi. Kana avoided the main flush but his feet would land on the outer fringes of the newly formed pool. The tell tell crackle of electricity reached Kana just as his heels began to sink into the liquid. The surge would catch Kana like a hungry pack of dogs. Travelling up the bronzed Genin faster than eyes could follow. A howl would escape the lips of the young man to be replaced by a soft puff. To any onlooker, Kana had literally dispersed into thin air and in its place the soft thud/splash of a piece of wood roughly the size of the Genin. About two meters into the woods, a slightly shaken and heavily breathing Kana would be found among the branches of a dead tree. One of such branches had been voluntold to be his replacement. He had scarcely escaped the charge, but not entirely and his body was trying to recover from the shock.

Saitou definitely knew his jutsu and he had implemented them with efficiency and ease of practice. Kana had done little else than relax. That was something Kana intended to change. Taking out both of his exploding tags he attached both to kunai. Taking out a third one, he stuck it in this mouth and held the other two in each hand. Concentrating chakra on his feet he ran up the tree he was hiding on as far up as he could go to survey the area. He was not concerned about being seen as he stood on the highest branches, about 80 feet above the ground. From his vantage point he would be able to see most movements and perhaps, if the electricity radiated enough, a small glimmer of the armor Saitou now wore.

Spoiler:

(-6/65 cp)

Age : 25 Posts : 1767

So, he uses Fuuton as well... Saitou was partially dismayed that Kana-san had escaped his torrent of water, but decided it was to be expected. After the multiple attacks, the young genin was beggining to feel low on chakra, and even moves which he could utilize, not to mention he'd damaged and flooded a large part of vegitation. luckily, most animals had ran at the start of the spar, meaning there were few who'd been caught in the attack. And by the looks of things, Kana, too, had escaped. Gritting his teeth, Masaki scanned the clearing, his violet eyes still sparkling. The other genin was proving a good challenge, and Saitou was going to have to take this more seriously. There. Kinoshi stood high on the tree, armed to the teeth, literally, with kunai and what could be explosive tags, and by the looks of things, hadn't spotted him yet, making now the best time to strike. He was on the other side of the forest, about 40 meters away.

With both boys sat high up, it looked like it could be a long range tree top battle. Normally, Saitou would revel such an opportunity, but as Kana was a Fuuton user, his attacks could make the purple haired genins jutsu little more than useless, not to mention he could dogde most projectiles, given the time it would take to reach him. No, Masaki would have to take this close up. In fact, being low on chakra, close-combat was a much more conservative way to fight, plus his Raiton Toku jutsu meant that if Kana responded with pyhsical blows, he would be under decent amounts of pain everytime he landed a hit. Of course, the other boy might try to get away, but from what Saitou had seen, he didn't seem as if he was against using his fists. Even more to the violet eyed genins advantage, Raiton Toku was his unqiue techinique, meaning his opponent might try to go for a more blunt resolution, and by the time he'd realized, it was too late. Perfect.

With his sword jutsu in hand, the boy ran around the edge or the trees, shuriken drawn. Kana would most likely re-act without hesitation at any attack, or notice him, so Saitou would have to act quickly. When he was just 10 meters away, he looked down, making sure a soft landing could be found below. Satisfied, he made his move. Throwing three shuriken in a triangle-like trajectory, one aimed at Kinoshi's head, and one on either shoulder, curved slightly, he made his move. They weren't fatal, but they would be hard to dogde, which was what Saitou was looking for; he couldn't waste time or chakra, he needed to get a blow or two in. Running across the thick branches of the numerous trees, the purple haired genin leaped at his opponent. His shield glowed ominously, which may have alerted Kana to his presence. As he landed, he threw the hardest punch he could muster, aiming for the stomach. If all went well, it would wind his opponent, giving him the oppourtunity for a second attack. Meanwhilst, his left hand which now held the transparent blade slashed lower, going for the calf.

OOC:

Jutsu and equipment:

Spoiler:

Posts : 542

Kana did not have some sort of special ability to bee more perceptive, however; high vantage point gave him a second or two seconds notice before he would have to react. He saw the movement too late to formulate a plan, so he just reacted. He saw the three grinning shuriken head in his direction intent on impaling themselves into his skull and shoulders. The other Genin had chosen his target well since few shinobi would risk getting hurt in their heads. The timing was much too close to dodge properly, especially because he was precariously balanced on a branch of a dying tree. What he did instead was to quickly shoot one of the kunai with the exploding tag at the center of the flying killers.

The resolved kunai flew straight and true towards the attackers of his master. If such a weapon had a face, it would grit in anticipation of was sure to come. He was a forlorn hope, a kamikaze, a suicidal attacker, chosen to give itself up for his master. When both opponents were about a foot apart, Kana released the seal that kept the explosive elements in check. The seal broken, the explosion resounded across the forest sending whatever remaining wild life scurrying for cover. The shock waves should be enough to diver the path of the shuriken if not throw them off course altogether.

The downside was that not only Saitou, but Kana as well would get debris rained on them and a momentary black puff of smoke would cloud his vision. He had just finished removing the other kunai from his mouth when the blow struck. Out of the corner of his eyes Kana had seen an ominous glow. There was no way that it was natural so the bronzed Genin knew it was the appearance of his opponent. The young Genin had tried to block but Taijutsu was not his forte and the most he could do was to try and diminish the effect of the blow. He still got the wind knocked out of him and his vision darkened slightly for a second from the lack of air to his brain.

His feet left the branch he was standing on, such was the force of the blow, and he was airborne. He was suspended for a moment before beginning to fall. His lungs fought for the air that had been knocked out of them. He inhaled deep but his motion was not only to replenish the wind that had so rudely been forced to exit, but as he gathered wind in his gasping lungs, he also gathered chakra from his body. Kana gathered chakra into his diaphragm and turning his face to the side once enough chakra had been gathered he his faced in the opposite direction of the water blade which Saitou held in his hand. With a great blow, he released all the air, which infused by chakra, was able to change directions mid air and move to the outside left of Saitou about one meter. The move landed him closer to the trunk of the tree. Using this as a spring board, Kana launched himself at Saitou, both Kunai in hand. The move was more like a tackle but could transform into a slashing action should the other decide to move slightly in any direction. The distance between them closed quite rapidly but Saitou should still have a second or two to counter the bronzed Genin.
(-6/59 CP -1/10 kunai -1/2 tags)

Spoiler:

Age : 25 Posts : 1767

As Saitou felt his blow connect, his smirk widened, his brow easing it's furrowing, whilst his other hand swept low, hoping to catch one of Kana-sans legs and limit his movement. If he could slow his opponent down, he would be able to land a few more hits, maybe even get his opponent down momentarily, getting the upper hand. However his triumphant pride was short lived as scraps of metal flew at him, the resounding explosion of his enemies counter ringing in the ears half covered with strands of purple hair, and Kana-san went falling of the tree. Saitou's first thoughts were that of the others safety. The trees were a huge distance above the floor, and between the momentum of his swing, leap and his human urge to grab his friend nearly sent him off of the tree as well, but as he saw his companion use a jutsu he was unfamiliar with, he shifted his weight back, and was still stood high a top his tree. However, there was to time to be relieved. The fight was still raging.

As Kana-San rose upwards, Saitou was still in a state of shock, but his head was slowly making his way back to normality, his arms ready to fight. However, as the salt-and-pepper haired boy rose from his descent and sprang towards him, he was partially submerged in his world of relief, and even though he had some time, his reactions became sluggish, and the armed enemy came closer with a frightening leap. Ducking low, Masaki leapt at his opponent in blind hope, whilst hand drew a kunai, the other flinging his blade. He hoped to go low, but it was a desperate attempt, and with sharp edges flailing, the best outcome for Masaki was both genin cut to a minor extent; but with Saitou now leaping towards Kana-san, who had leapt towards him, a collision was very likely, and by the looks of things, the fall would be painful.

Regret filled the purple haired boy as he made his crash course, and although his opponent had proved himself able to survive falls from such a height, Saitou was not. Thoughts of death flooded his mind, quickly replaced by that of actions, and he decided as quick as his racing brain would allow. He threw his kunai at his oncoming assailant, before shoving the now empty hand into his pouch to retrieve a shuriken attached to his last meter of string, which he then flung upwards. Luck granted, it would catch on a branch and slow, or even stop, his descent. The kunai was aimed directly aimed at the middle Kana-san's stomach, and would hopefully meet him before Saitou himself did, however as he made his mid-air flight, he was still going into a head first, blade swinging collision course.

Posts : 542

Time is such a fickle thing. It passes with the most extreme of haste when least expected and drags on eternally in very much the same manner. To any onlooker, the two Genin from the legendary Village Hidden in the Leaves would have been but a flurry of movement and exploding jutsu. The speed at which this friendly spar had progress was all but a total blur. Few, if any, native wildlife remained in the immediate area. Set high above the tree top and the man made mud pit below, Kana sailed through the air like an awkward fledgling. His salt and pepper hair pressed tight against his skull and shoulders as it hit the resistance of the wind. He sailed upward towards Saitou, his body flat and straight as a spear. His right leg was bent towards his stomach and both arms were held at a 45 degree angle with elbows tucked in. He looked very much the shinobi, flying through the air, weapons drawn.

Yet, as epic as the scene and the blunt move that had sent Kana catapulting head first towards his newly found Konoha comrade, it was also the boy’s biggest weakness. For at the speed in which he was covering the small space between the two, not even his handy jutsu which he had used previously would aid him in altering his course. Especially since Saitou was also of a mind to rush in. Kana’s eyes widened a bit as his mind raced trying to calculate the repercussions of their brash actions. He did not have much time to analyze, however, since a deadly kunai was hurled in his general direction from about ten feet away. It did not take a math genius to know that his speed plus that of the kunai would make for a very painful encounter. Indeed, there was little else the young Gening could do but cross his arms in front of him to protect his face. It also did not take a genius to know that when he and the kunai finally met, the solid steel would bite deeply into his left forearm, about an inch or so. The good thing, if there can even be such a thing in this situation, is that the kunai did not tear vein or bone.

Kana grimaced as the pain surged through his body like an unwelcomed telegram, letting his brain know that a kunai was now impaled in the fleshy part of the forearm. Blood would begin to pour out slowly from the wound, nothing deadly but attention would definitely need to be given to the wound. The other result of the injury was that he barely missed Saitou as the other wisely evaded the brutish tackle and instead left Kana with a farewell present. His opponent’s feet flew just inches from the top of his head and there was nothing Kana could do. Not that such a thing mattered since, with no mass in front of him, the bronzed Genin continued to fly through the air totally missing the tree in which they sparred and falling twenty feet in the general direction of the nearest one. Kana extended his right hand and use it to grab onto any available branch as he fell. Catching a suitable one, he spun around it a few times like an Olympic gymnast in the uneven bars and landed in the crouching position, with his left forearm close to his chest, in a protective manner. He looked up at Saitou; a distance of about 30 feet separated them. There was neither rancor nor accusation in his eyes. In fact, they held the slightest bit of amusement in them. Not at Saitou, by any degree, but at his own foolish actions that had awarded him a bleeding arm.

Kana plucked the Kunai from his arm, wincing as he did so. Holding it and the other exploding tagged kunai in his right hand he threw them both in the general direction of Saitou. Biting his teeth against the pain of moving his arm, he performed a series of hand signs as the kunai flew in the air. At about the halfway point, he released his jutsu”Daitopa!” and seconds later he released the seal in the exploding tag”kai!”. The result was a rapidly rushing gust of wind that ignited the explosion from the tag to form a sort of blanket made of fire. It was nothing more than a burst but the kunai and fire should distract Saitou enough to allow Kana to drop to the tick brush of the forest below.

(-10/53CP, 0/2 exploding tags, -2/10 kunai. Wounded left arm)

Spoiler:

Age : 25 Posts : 1767

A bolt of triumphant cheerfulness shot through Saitou's brain, however it did not last long, as he grabbed the branch his shuriken had lodged itself into, standing on the thick, emerging trunk, and depositing it back into his pouch, the string alongside it. He had seen his kunai tear into Kana's arm, deep enough to be painful, but thankfully not a serious wound. As he stood, watching the boy below, his brain raced, in need of a plan, or at least a improved strategy; victory looked a long way off, but if he could endure his enemy, whilst continuing to dispense minor wounds, he might tire him, or make him unfit to fight due to numerous small injuries. Masaki was no strategist, not thick, but not the type genius who could formulate a plan in seconds, so he was just going to have to endure his enemy, conserve his chakra and equipment, take things slow. He decided to go on the defensive, but burst into offensive whenever possible.

Watching as Kana-san recovered from the fall by swinging down, and countering with Saitou's kunai and an explosive companion. The blast was a good distance away, and so Masaki did little to dodge it, instead keeping his eyes keenly on Kana, a task made much more difficult than it should've been by the cloud of smoke, and so Saitou gave up, deciding a 'blanket' attack would be a better approach, but to conserve chakra and attack a wide area was a difficult task. He sighed. Forest warfare wasn't his style. Long range, sure, but losing sight of his opponent, tracking, remaining stealthy, it just wasn't what he was made for; in fact, he preferred close range to this. But what could he do now? He had to save chakra, so nothing fancy... Now, it was time to use his head, instead of relying on big moves which could be easily avoided, and the first thing that came to mind was genjutsu; however Saitou had no genjutsu which could be used at such a great range. Note to self. Create a long ranged genjutsu. As his infuriatingly empty mind tried to come up with an idea, his hands began to form seals on their own, as he leapt onto another branch, hopefully obscured from Kana-san's sight by the thick trunk of the oak. His jutsu appeared before he even realized he was using it, and another Saitou, kunai in hand, appeared, an illusionary clone. The fake went sprinting towards the direction of Kana, weaving in and out of trees, taking cover, looking around, trying to be authentic, however he wasn't to get too close. A few meters away, so that Masaki could lure out his enemy, before running in whilst the salt-and-pepper haired boy attacked the illusion, leaving him in sight, and hopefully, hittable. Lying across the branches, Saitou pulled up his hood, hoping to cover his purple hair as he tried to remain out of site; however stealth was not one of his acclaimed abilities.

OOC: Sorry for the short post. Jutsu and equipment:

Spoiler:

Posts : 542

The blast provided a nice thick cloud of black smoke that Kana quickly too advantage of. Putting pressure on his wound to keep the seeping blood from giving his position away, the young man made his way to the forest floor where he was to use the cover of the thick undergrowth. The tactic was of course a double edged sword since it would also block his view in trying to find Saitou. Thinking that the purple haired Genin would probably try to track him, Kana let some blood escape here and there. Resting against the trunk of a tree about 3 meters left of his last know location, he listened for any sound of pursuit. Once he was satisfied, he performed the needed hand signs and utilized the skill that was his forte, the Mystic Hand Technique. The wound was not deep or wide enough but to require a minute or so of his concentration though the expenditure of chakra would still remain the same. All that was left of the once bleeding wound was now only a tender scar.

Thinking to go on the offensive again, Kana formulated a plan. Taking out his equipment he inventoried it. He choose the spot he had been resting on, a small hollow at the base of the tree, a small pool of blood could be seen were he had bleed on purpose. Taking off his shirt he used about five inches of wire and pushed it through the back and attached it to the pull string of the exploding pouch in his possession. He dug a hole in the ground and placed the pouch there. The five inches of string would allow his opponent about thirty seconds to get out of the immediate area. Taking out his windmill shuriken he held it in one hand and his two remaining senbon he placed in another. It was time to set his plan in motion.

The now half naked Genin made his way up the trees again as fast as he could, chakra keeping him glued to their massive trunks. He spotted Saitou running towards his last known direction. There was something odd about this image of the purple haired Genin, however, so to be safe, he sent his last two senbon flying towards his opponent. The projectiles would come from the right and behind the peripheral vision of Saitou. If not seen, they would implant themselves in the lower neck, upper shoulder region. The wound would be painful but it would not be damaging. With his wind shuriken in hand, the young Genin mirrored Saitou as stealthy as he could but not putting too much thought on it. The aim was to be seen but not until he desired it.

(-2/2 senbon, -11/43 CP)

Spoiler:

Age : 25 Posts : 1767

Saitou crouched on the highly raised branch, his sweating back against the rough bark of the large trunk, which rose for another thirty feet. He was going to have to rely on his cunning and strategy now; powerful jutsu used way too much of his chakra and in this natural landscape would be easy to dodge, never mind being stopped by the thicket of emergent trees with trunks and branches, in some cases about three meters wide. If he were to win this battle, he needed to find a way to get the upper hand whilst conserving his precious reserves of the chakra he had so carelessly wasted. He tugged at his shirt, hoping some sweat would drip off and leave his heated body, a sigh escaping his mouth as he ran another hand through his vibrant shock of purple hair. The genin was not overly intelligent, he had common sense and a small understanding of the subjects he was taught, although his ninjutsu excelled, it was a practical skill, and now he would have to use something that his opponent would not for-see, something that would surprise his enemy and allow him to get another hit or two in, something that would allow him to go on a straight offensive, even close quarters might've been easier to use over the layered cunning required in the depths of this forest. The question was, how could he get close enough to Kana-san to allow him to fight in a much more practical way?

Watching as his blundering clone waded through the forest undergrowth, his violet eyes caught two senbon which leapt from the shadows cast from the canopy into a small gap of sunlight, sending out a small glint. He tried to mentally make himself aware of the projectiles, to get his other self to spot them, but without sending out any calls, he was hopeless, and the metal blades went straight through the clone, thunking loudly into the tree that stood behind him. Well, there goes that plan. Despite the discovery of his illusion so early on, it had bought him time, which was it's sole purpose. Leaping from the branch he stood on, onto the leaf blanketed floor below, he grabbed his equipment, and decisively went crazy. His mad assault was designed simply to give him the cover needed, and he made quite a show of it. Shoving his hands down into the depths of his pouches, he brought out the necessary tools for his seemingly crazed and unplanned onslaught. In truthfulness, he had wanted to devise a smart plan which led his opponent closer, before he struck, giving Saitou an opening, but cunning was not something Saitou possessed, and this attack would certainly be seen as surprising, enough so to perhaps give him the chances he needed. His hands laden, he began the mayhem he hoped would ensure this recklessness.

The first item he grabbed was from his fire-starting kit, which was mostly for survival. The flare was potentially dangerous, hence Saitou fired it high into the trees, but not vertically. The shot was at around a 45 degree angle to his left, and the smoke and light would be useful for momentarily blinding his opponent. However, the second item was slightly more orthodox and combat-intended, a kunai with it's explosive-tag companion, which he hurled at a similar angle, however this time infront of him. He was spinning madly, but kept note of where his previous resting place had been, incase he needed to make a quick escape, and as he spun to his right, he grabbed an exact replica of his previously used tool, before throwing that in the same trajectory, however to the right. The smoke and smog cloud would hopefully shield him from view, allowing his next trick to be pulled off, although first, he sent three kunai and six senbon hurtling into the trees, a kunai in between each explosive, and another slightly higher, whilst the senbon went in all directions except south and south-east, the area where Saitou had, until recently, been.

The madness was beginning to tire the boy, but as he detonated the tags which had just reach the thick tree line, he quickly created yet more clones, his hands buzzing through a few seals. Two illusionary clone, similar to the ones he had just used, went charging off, following the smoke trails. Another clone, this time solid, followed the last trail. The boy's plan was for Kana to notice his illusionary clones that weren't kicking up dust, but to see the water clone, who was, and mistake him for the real deal. Mean whilst, Saitou dived into the undergrowth, put a hood above his purple hair once more, and keeping low, slowly wormed his way out of sight, hoping that his enemy would reveal himself with an attack, and Saitou could use that moment to strike. He had used all the explosion he could muster, but he had one trick left. It may've been dangerous, even more so than flinging sharp metal and explosions everywhere, but hopefully, he could control it with his Suiton jutsu, if the need arose. Grabbing the lighter from his kit, he sparked it open, the flame flickering into life, before he threw it, into a patch of undergrowth about thirty meters away from him, under a large gathering of trees.

OOC: Equipment and jutsu:

Spoiler:

Posts : 542

Kana was still following the current Saitou when he noticed the Senbon go straight through the other Genin’s body. With a grimace that confirmed his suspicions, the one he had been following was bait. He had not only given away his location but he was not out in the open and ripe for an attack. The bronzed Genin had just started to look for a suitable place to hide or to try and see if a hidden attack would be launched when all hell broke loose. Out of nowhere a screaming banshee of a flare stayed true to its design and purpose by completely catching the attention of Kana as it sailed into the noon sky leaving in its wake a mantel of smoke that caused the young Genin to tighten his jaw. It did not require a sage to know that Saitou was covering his tracks and with Kana not being a tracker, it would take some effort and danger to locate his opponent.

The flare had come from somewhere behind his right. Kana hesitated if he should head in that direction or the opposite; tactics was not one of his fortes. He was still debating internally when another hellion from Hades broke the silence of the forest. That one was followed by devilish killing drones in the shapes of senbon and kunai. Hard to believe, that the peaceful clearing had all but turned into a battle zone. Indeed, Kana had to dodge a few senbon that came too close. There seemed to be neither rhyme nor reason to the attack. It was almost as if the contents of Saitou’s pack had decided to mutiny and sought their freedom with explosive conviction.

Kana was still trying to dodge yet another stray kunai when he noticed three bodies emerge from the smoke and mayhem. Two of them, even to an untrained eye, were regular bushin, neither smoke nor debris was disturbed by their passing. The one being covered by the slowly dying smoke of the banshee flare was very much solid however. Kana hesitated a second wondering if this was too easy. However, sometimes the most obvious door is the one that leads out. So throwing caution to the wind, he took off after the escaping Saitou, unknown to the young Genin that this was yet another clone.

Not being a Taijutsu user himself, and trained to be support and not really front lines kind of shinobi, his body was beginning to complain. He could feel his muscles getting tired thought the fight had only been raging for an hour or so. Yet all the adrenalin he had been using up was finally starting to take a toll on his body. Kana knew that he needed to show Saitou what he could do. He did not really aim to win the fight, he had just asked an opinion of his opponent and he needed for the other to know. Deciding that it would take precious seconds to catch up with his target, Kana decided to show his entire arsenal. The running Saitou could not be more than seven meters away.

Kana brought his windmill shuriken to bear and using his hips and arms, sent the killer pinwheel towards the lower legs of the running target. The aim was to nick only the outside of the right leg but if Saitou somehow ran in that direction, his legs would be met by the sawing blades of the giant shuriken. Letting his bladed ally do the dirty work, Kana skidded to a stop about six meters from the purple haired bait and brought out his eight shuriken and held them spaced out in both hands at the ready. There was not really a plan in his mind any more. He hoped that the other had seen his ability to fight smartly. Now it was time to show the other that he could also fight openly.

(-1/1 windmill shuriken)

Age : 25 Posts : 1767

Saitou lay amongst the beetles and spiders that habituated the large clumps of vegetation, watching as Kana cleverly went straight for the solid bushin, clearly the absence of the disturbance normally caused by walking from the running illusions tipping him off. The purple haired genin was beginning to tire physically, but mentally he was still raring to fight; his stamina was nothing special, but the love of a challenge kept him going. Although, he was going to have to turn this battle to a close ranged one, as he had nearly no chakra left to use after his reckless attack. Perhaps he could squeeze out one more jutsu, but if he used it in anyway except sparingly, then it would be wasted, and fight lost. The other boy had managed to put up a good defence, with numerous counters that had kept Saitou on his toes, providing the challenge and difficulty that Masaki craved, and although he may not win, he was going to fight this battle until it's end. Keeping one eye on the fire that had slowly began to pick up, the boy rose his sweat covered back to a concealed point behind a large tree at the edge of the wildlife infested plants.

Surprise could be found inside Saitou's mind as he spotted that the gash he had inflicted on his opponents arm was absent, replaced now by a pink line of tenderness. Of course. Kana-san was a medical ninja. He knew that his enemies skill would make this battle all the more difficult to win if the wounds he lashed out were healed, but it must've required chakra to rid himself of the breach in his skin, so Saitou would just have to strike fast, giving Kana little time to heal himself in between blows. Now Masaki had his time to shine. Grabbing two shuriken, he threw them to his opponent, who stood a mere five meters away, poking out of the right of the tree. The two were aimed in a basic trajectory, curving so that they were aimed either side of Kana, around his hips. Moving as fast as his legs could, Saitou then went left of the tree, leaping into the air, travelling toward another firm, thick-trunked tree, which he used as a springboard, kicking himself towards Kana-san. In the smoke and confusion, he watched as his clone leapt high into the air, trying to dodge the bladed projectile that had been cast at him. With eyes resisting the stinging smoke, his mouth clenched closed and his nose letting no breath in or out, the purple haired boy drew the shin blade, eight inches of steel hanging in his belt, and went for the back of his enemy, hoping to finish the battle then and there.

The fire was scorching the plants in it's immediate vicinity, letting out large plumes of smoke. The vegetation didn't seem as if it wanted to burn, clearly resisting the flames of hell that weaved their way along the stems of numerous plants, but any minute now the fire would be engulfing the forest floor around it, and it was only ten meters from where the battle of the fellow shinobi raged, smoke wafting to add to the confusion of the mayhem brought on by Saitou. Masaki was anxious to end the fight now, before the fire got out of control and enveloped the natural landscape. There was no water source nearby, just dry plants, fallen leaves and huge trees, and the fire could end not just the beauty of the forest, but lives of those finding peace in the quiet scenery in the forests of Hi-no-Kuni. Cursing himself for his recklessness, Saitou decided that he would use a Suiton jutsu to douse the flames, but after flinging himself towards his opponent, he couldn't stop and utilise any jutsu. Putting out the fire would use up nearly all his remaining chakra, but he couldn't be fighting when he put it out. Would he have to give up? the thought chilled Saitou, and he decided to make up his mind on the moment, knowing that the answer he formulated then would be the best answer his brain could give. However, now, he was charging through the air, behind his shuriken, with his knife low, around Kana's legs. He needed to end this now.

Posts : 542

Kana saw the giant windmill shuriken travel through the air in a war path. The few unfortunate plants that found themselves in the way of the charging blade met a clean and painless end. Like a blood seeking animal, the shuriken flew towards the Saitou in front of Kana. Thinking to get to cover should that Saitou indeed prove to be the real or fake, the bronzed Genin made his way towards a tree to his right. He took a few steps that way only to discover the tree was already in habited by two small cousins of the weapon he had just flung at his opponent. In surprise, he threw all eight of his shuriken at the incoming assailants, hoping to stop their trajectory with at least one. Kana was rewarded with two resounding pings as two of his own projectiles met the charge of the offending two. Six other thuds sounded with various distinctions as some dug into dirt and some dug into wood.

The relief was short lived as a shadow suddenly stared to spread from his back. He tried moving to the left but that was the wrong direction. He felt the hungry sting of a blade dig into his left thigh. The wound was not deep but being in a major muscle it hurt like hell. He rolled forward as he fell and kneeling on his good knee he surveyed his attacker. The real Saitou not was before him. If this was a real fight, Kana would be at a huge disadvantage as his mobility had been negated. His ability to dodge and evade was drastically reduced. He still had chakra and he could use it quickly and try and hide again but a sudden whiff of smoke caught his nose.

Turning his head to see the offending scent, he noticed small patches of fires here and there. The fight had left more collateral damage than he had intended and anticipated. In a real mission such sacrifices would be made in order to preserve life and for the success of the mission but this being a friendly, though some might not see it that way with as much blood as the young fighters had drawn, that was not a price Kana was willing to pay. He threw up his hands motioning Saitou to stop any attack he was intending. Wincing as he stood up slowly, favoring his right leg, he bowed to Saitou as his voice replied in a respectful tone. “It seems s the fight has gone to you Saitou-san. The forest seems to be as much a loser in this spar as I. Would you perhaps still have a Suiton jutsu that can quell the fires we have so carelessly started?”

He remembered the other had used one or two water style jutsu and hope that they would not have to do it the old way and douse every fire by hand. In the even that such action need be taken, Kana ran through a series of hand signs. He applied his green tinted chakra to the wound inflicted by Saitou and awaited the other’s response as the wound slowly healed. It would perhaps take about ten minutes to heal this type of would so he hope the fires did not catch a second wind and grow out of control. The two would have some explaining to do should it cause a major mishap. Kana felt no shame in admitting defeat. In the field of battle he would merely die, he was not prepared to have somebody die for his incompetence; in a spar it just meant he had to get stronger.

(-8/8 shuriken -5/33 cp)

Spoiler:

Age : 25 Posts : 1767

Traces of triumph were overridden by worry as the airborne boy collided with his opponent, his steel knife making a speedy journey into the muscle of Kana's thigh, the momentum of Saitou's jump sending him hurtling forward. Dropping down to the floor, the purple haired genin rolled into a stand, noticing the two projectiles he had flung eariler, along with a number of their relatives, littering the forest floor and the base of thick trunks, and the worry that the boy might've injured his sparring partner more than he'd intended sat heavily in his stomach, an unwelcome guest. Considerably out of breath from the raging battle, and his desperate, reckless, myhem-bringing attacks, Masaki turned his eyes to his newfound friend, only to see him with his hands raised. The boy's immediate reaction was to flinch, and once again his knife hand rose upward; a few moments later the fact that no weapons were to be found in the raised hands, nor were they forming any seals to unleash another jutsu. Surprised, Saitou listened as Kana-san submitted the fight to him. Guilt was the emotion that could be found most in the boys mind; he didn't really feel as if he deserved the victory, what with his fire-starting chaos. If this battle had been one the two had found themselves fighting in a real war situation, the boy knew that he wouldn't have come off so lucky, what with his recklessly spent chakra and generally chaotic attacks. Although, he knew that today of all days had been educational; it had shown him his weaknesses, his mistakes, what he had to change, generally how he could improve, and maybe even survive, in the real world. By training and sparring, Saitou was learning the dos-and-don'ts of the shinobi worlds, and oneday that information might just save his life. But now, there was another matter at hand, and it included him saving the lives of others, even if it was just the lives of the animals which lived in the disturbed brambles of the forest. Still ashamed for the brash actions which had led to the flames, the boy nodded once, before returning the others gesture with a low bow.

A bead of sweat tracing a long line across his grinning face, heading down towards his panting back, Saitou tapped into his chakra, hoping that his dwindling supply would allow him to extinguish the flames with a single jutsu. Panic. Panic at the sheer fact that the boy had wasted so much chakra, and what he had left may not be enough for the task at hand. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, the boy summoned all the power he could muster, his hands clenched with a sturdy determination, as he wrestled with his tiredness and fatigue, exerting the last of his power for the simple jutsu. As his breath quickened, he realised he wouldn't be able to use the jutsu he had in mind, and so went for one of a lesser power, only to remember that there was no water source to be found in the clearing of the trees. Considering what to use, a single jutsu came to mind, and it may not even be successful; it all depended on the climate, and although the forest saw it's fair share of rain, the canopy of leaves may've obstructed a large amount, making it harder to utilise the jutsu. Sighing, he decided it was his best bet. Teeth clamped hard together as he strained, the muscles in his arms bulging with the unrequired physical force the boy was exerting, his hands went through a list of seals, nearly forgotten by his flaking mind. His chakra was low, and his bones ached, only to be cured by a long bout of sleep, but for now, he had to remain concious. After several painful moments, the floor under the base of the fire began to crack, loudly, the first sign of Saitou's possible success, and slowly, a trickling could be heard, coming from under the ground itself; the water that the soil had absorbed. But as Saitou began to grin, he spotted his mistake. He hadn't managed to extract enough water from his under ground surrondings, and the trickle of water would amount to no more than a weak attempt and a disastrous failure with possibly dire consequences. One last effort. One more strain, another push, to stop the flames from engulfing the beauty of the forest. Eyes shut with concentration, he tried again.

Again, the ground began to crack, and with all the effort left in the waning strength of Saitou Masaki, a gushing of water could be heard, and a large grin on his face to be seen, this time with reason. Water bust upward, two meters high, spiralling majestically in the air, and triumphance to be found in all corners of his brain, the boy laughed with delight, as a large hiss escaped the doused fire. Smoke came in plumes more plentiful, but they would wear off, supported by no more flames. Turning to his former opponent, Saitou smiled, and spoke.

"In answer to your earlier question, Kana-san, yes, I believe I could fight by you, as an ally and a friend, with pride and joy, for that was a battle well fought,"

His tone was happy, fileld with pride and honor, but his head was begging to feel light, his legs unsturdy, and his whole body dizzy. Still smirking, the exhausted boy stumbled, before falling into a much needed, dream filled, sleep.

_Topic Exit_

OOC: Thanks Kana, yet another great topic, I really enjoyed doing this. I'd be honored to continue to do things with someone of your skill.

Posts : 542

Kana saw the effort and strain that Saitou was putting forward and that only inspired him to strain harder to heal the wound. This sort of action would lead to a less than perfect healed wound and totally unacceptable by medical standards but Kana knew that his body itself would heal itself in time. He was almost done with his patch work healing when he saw the product of his partner’s jutsu. Like a veritable spring, the waters that had quenched the thirst of the trees and aided in their growth, now came forth to quell the fires threatening to turn to ashes what they had helped nourish. In a show of force, the water gushed upwards only to rain down in a mock representation of the journey they had first taken. A myriad of colors could be seen as the sun approved of the droplets efforts as a venerable king looking down upon its tiny liquid soldiers.

Reluctantly, the fires died down with a hiss as if sounding their hatred at the water that had so rudely stopped their play. Only smoke and charred plants were all that remained of the threat. A weak and exhausted Saitou turned to the bronzed Genin delivering even more refreshing words. Those of acceptance and honor. Kana bowed deeply at the honor being bestowed upon him by his worthy opponent. He looked up just in time to see the purple haired Genin stumble and begin to fall. Forgetting that his own legs were still unstable under him, he rushed forward meaning to catch the other only to collide more in a manner of tackling than catching. The two fell in a lump upon the now dry ground. Knowing that they both needed a rest and his leg not completely healed enough to carry the other shinobi into town, Kana decided rest was the best medicine. After all, how would he be able to explain that the exhaustion and wound had come for a spar?

He propped the other upon a mossy log to rest his head and sat next to Saitou. He hoped that if any passed by their solitary presence and the fact that he was nude from the midriff up, would not cause any unneeded misinterpretation. He absentmindedly rubbed his hurt leg, the pain still a bit of a sting, and looked upward to the sun that was already at its summit. Hard to believe that this had all started with a fated nature walk. He had met a young man upon the trees and had opened his heart out to a complete stranger. Now they both laid there, exhausted and wounded to what many would consider an act of malicious intentions. Very few, even those part of the shinobi world, would consider that this had been nothing more than a spar between two ninja who respected each other. Looking around, one could tell that both young men had skill and ability enough to be counted among the ranks of shinobi protecting the Legendary Village Hidden in the Leaves. The war had brought much pain and hurt but at this time and in this place, two Genin rested after a fierce but friendly fight.

(Exit. Topic End)

Subject: Re: Friendly but fierce fight(closed) Fri 13 Apr 2012, 1:49 am

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