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Hedoro

Hedoro lay on the bed in her hotel room, and thought. She had accomplished quite a bit already, but it wasn't enough. Sure, she had a powerful summon, and she had learned quite a few techniques, but she still wanted to be stronger. She knew there were lots of people out there who were stills tronger than her, until she didn't have anything to fear from anyone, she wouldn't truly be free.
(1 of 7)

So she would keep training, and she would strive to become stronger. The exams that were rapidly approaching would be a perfect excuse to see how far she'd come, how she measured up with other genin. There would almost certainly be fighting, and she intended to be ready for that. To do so, she had to be prepared for any eventuality, prepare herself to attack mercilessly and defend without hesitation.
(2 of 7)

As such, she needed to know her own strengths and weaknesses. Overall, she was pretty sure of what areas she was skilled in, and what she lacked. Those were the areas she needed to work on developing if even just a little. If she could enhance her weakest spots, then her average level of skill would raise as well, and that would only improve her chances. To do that, she had to find ninja to teach her new techniques.
(3 of 7)

She went to sleep while thinking this, and slept until late into the morning the next day. She woke up, and got ready. She would find more people to teach her, but first she needed something to eat. She left the hotel and found a small food cart, picking up a quick snack. She ate it a moment later, then returned to her training. She kept an eye out for anyone with a ninja headband, someone who could train her, teach her a technique. Finally, she found one, and asked if they would teach her. They thought about it and agreed, so the training began. They would teach her a technique called Seaside Projectile. It would cause a large flexible tendril of water to come from a nearby source of water, and it could move with her will, to attack her target or whatever she told it to do.
(5 of 7)

Hedoro inwardly smiled at this, a technique like this was something she could learn with very little effort. There was no reason not to learn it while she had the chance. Almost as soon as they began teaching her the technique, she did it flawlessly, stunning her teacher. Thanking her for the training, she decided to move on to the next village, learn techniques from somewhere else for a time.
(6 of 7)

She made sure she'd taken all of her things from the hotel room, and balanced her bill. She was ready to leave Hidden Sound, so she made her way to the docks, to get on a boat going to some other village. She wasn't sure which one she'd go to yet, she'd check the leaving times, hop on the boat that was leaving the soonest. Wherever it went, that was where she would go. She'd learn a technique or two in that village, and move on to another, and another.
(7 of 7, Seaside Projectile)

Tai bent over and cluthced his stomach dealing with the pain. Tai wasn't going to take this lying down. He then procceeded with a sweeping kick. Jiroubou was knocked off his feet and fell to the ground. "Oh so thats how its going to be huh?" he said with annoyance. Tai snapped back "You didn't think i was just going to take that lying down did you?" Jiroubou got up and grabbed Tai by the arm. He swung him around twice then threw him to the ground. As Tai hit the floor he slid along the ground.

1/7

Tai got up and said "Looks like i'm going to have to take this to the next level." Tai began relaxing his chakra holes letting chakra seep out of them. Soon his chakra aura was fully formed. Tai then rushed forward switching to his powered up strong fist style. Tai stopped in front of Jiroubou to land a hit butJ iroubou punched the ground where Tai stood. At the last second Tai dashed out of the way and gave Jiroubou a kick to his back. "Quit moving so i can hit you!" Jiroubou said in anger. Tai jumped into the air and made a downward kick on Jiroubou's shoulder

2/7

"Your annoying!" Jiroubou shouted. He grabbed Tai's leg and began swinging him around. He then threw Tai at a tree. Tai slammed into it hard. When Tai looked up, he saw Jiroubou rushing at him. Tai quickly jumped up as Jiroubou did a shoulder charge and smashed through the tree. Tai then said "Haha! Too slow." Jiroubou became infuriated and slammed his fists into the ground. It sent a shockwave that knocked Tai to the floor. Jiroubou then rushed to slam his fist into Tai while he was on the ground. Tai quickly flickered away before the punch landed.

3/7

As Jiroubou's punch dug into the ground, Tai layed oh his back on Jiroubou as he was bent over. Tai then hopped off and said "Can you hurry up and teach me something already?" Jiroubou became even more infuriated. He began tapping into his cursed seal's power. A line of triangles began forming all over Jiroubou's body. "I didn't think i'd need my cursed seal's power to squash a bug like you" Jiroubou rushed at Tai and began throwing a furry of palm thrusts. They were becoming harder to avoid because his speed increaced. Tai realized he would need to use more chakra.

4/7

"Well looks like i'm going to have to kick it up another knotch." Tai began making hand signs and focusing chakra in his vocal chords. Tai then declared "Harmonics!" He then whistled an increadybly high pitch tune. Jiroubou tried to block the sound by covering his ears but he was already becoming disoriented from the sound. He then began to sway back and fourth. Tai ran up to him and gave him a few iron fist blows to the stomach. Jiroubou had the wind knocked out of him and he clutched his stomach. "Damn this guy." He muttered under his breath.

5/7

Jiroubou then quickly recovered and gave an upercut with his palm. Tai was slammed in the chin by the uppercut and went flying into the air. Jiroubou jumped into the air and put his hands together. He then slammed his fists into Tai's stomach and sent him flying into the ground. Tai crashed into the ground, kicking up dust. When the dust settled all that layed in the crater was a log. Jiroubou's eyes widened as he said "A subsitition? But how? When did he?" Tai then appeared behind Jiroubou. "Gotcha" Tai said with a smirk. He then gave a powerfull blow to Jiroubou's back.

6/7

Jiroubou went flying forward. When Jiroubou recovered and got up Tai flickered in front of him and said "My turn!" he then flattened his palm and gave the same uppercut he had given the substitution. Jiroubou was sent flying into the air. Tai jumped up above him and gave a frontflip forward with his leg extended. He then declared "Bruising Sky Leg!" Tai's leg slammed down on Jiroubou's stomach sending him hurtling into the ground. Tai then said "Well thanks for the fun. I gotta go. The Chunnin exams are starting soon and i wouldn't want to be late." Jiroubou layed in the crater grunting.

7/7

Even though Shouta had seen them coming, and their guest had almost certainly seen him see them, he still feigned looking surprised when the door swung open, allowing their visitor to enter. Of course, he wasn't surprised, and they all knew it. That was part of the game they played, after all. Finding that oh so thin barrier between what was real, and what was illusion. What was wrong and what was right. What felt good, and what hurt. The limit of pain and the threshold of immortality, the point at which a single person could shed off their mortal form and achieved a singularity that could never be duplicated again in their entire existence. Or at least a oneness that was wrong on so many moral levels. Because after all; Sakon and Ukon, and Shouta and Lolita, they were all related. But family ties always tended to get so tangled up every so often, didn't they? And it was said that the strongest love was what was felt for one's family, after all. Who better to love than those who were most like oneself, for in loving them did one not love oneself? And by loving oneself, did they not come closer to loving all life? Why, it was only natural for the strongest feelings to be saved for those who most resembled oneself, to love the most those who held the closest ties to oneself. Despite what the general populace' foolish morals said to the contrary.
(Match Punch: 3/10.5)

Time passed quickly, as it was wont to do when fun was to be had, and finally Sakon and Ukon returned to the reason they'd shown up in the first place. They had departed early, to tarry with their beloved siblings for a brief time, which felt as fulfilling as a year, but passed as quickly as an hour. But they still had an important message to deliver, from none other than Shouta and Lolita's master. Of course, it wasn't deathly urgent, but even so, their lapse could very well mean punishments would be handed out later. But the risk of getting caught only made the reward seem more sweet. And frankly, sometimes the punishments were pleasurable in their own right. Finding that precise amount of pain, at which it seemed to blend into pleasure, what a lofty goal, and one that could take a lifetime to discover.
Still, there was a limit at which punishment stopped being fun, so they returned to the real reason they had come to visit. Shouta and Lolita were to leave Hidden Sound, and go to other villages, stealing the other villages' knowledge of their techniques. By doing so, those villages would lose what made them unique, while the Sound would only profit. Even if they didn't keep the techniques for themselves, they could sell the stolen techniques to other interested villages, those who desired more power and prestige. By playing these other villages against each other, the Sound just might return to it's highest level of power, like what it had possessed when their previous master was alive. And that had been the goal that their master had in mind this entire time. Even when Shouta and Lolita were first being educated, it had all been for this one purpose. There were other uses they were put to, of course, but this was by far one of the most important.
(Match Punch: 6/10.5)

The sky had darkened, as if a black cloth had been stretched tightly across the vast heavens, hiding all that was below them from the light of the sun. With this darkness, quiet stole over much of hidden sound, as others fell asleep, their long days of work at an end. Within their room Shouta and Lolita had finally fallen asleep as well, merged again and sprawled carelessly across their pallet. A single torn and dirtied rag served as their blanket, and as their slight modesty as well. They slept very lightly, too many times in the past had someone come to entertain themselves at the twins' expense. But with the guard stationed right outside their door even now, they would not be disturbed. For one night, at least, they could sleep easy, without fear of a midnight incident. Even so, old habits died hard, and they slept irregularly, waking every few moments, expecting a hand over their mouth, or a rope about their arms.
(Match Kick: 2/10)

Inevitably, the dark night gave way to bright day, as the sun rose once more, moving leisurely into the sky. It had only broken the horizon for but a moment, when Shouta and Lolita were woken up suddenly. The covers being pulled from them rudely served as their wake up call, and they were ordered to prepare themselves to meet their master. They had woken up instantly and nodded, then began getting washed and dressed. The clothes they usually wore were in poor condition. Full of holes and tears, stains and burns, it was a stretch to even call them clothes anymore. But Shouta and Lolita did have some clothes that looked decent, even if they normally weren't wearing them. It was what they'd worn at the academy, and what they'd wear to appear in front of their master. As well as what they'd likely wear if they were ever allowed to leave. This time they chose to wear Shouta's choice, a simple white kimono-based outfit. It was fairly plain, although it's pristine white was thought of as a bit of irony considering those who knew what Shouta was really like. They cleaned themself up, got dressed, and were escorted to see their master.
(Match Kick: 4/10)

Shouta and Lolita regained consciousness some time later, and found their master was gone. They had seperated, somehow, and were feeling weak and weary, so they recombined. Sitting up, they looked around and tried to remember what had occurred in the time between when they had entered the room, and now. But the memories were fuzzy and distorted, they couldn't recall what had happened. They had been lying on the floor of their master's building for who knew how long, and were rather sore, much more than just sleeping on a stone floor should cause. They'd slept on cold stone enough that it only rare hurt them anymore. No, this pain was from something else. But they didn't know what, and gave up, returning to what they did know. Time seemed to stop when they were inside their master's chambers, like it had no hold over what went on within these darkened walls. It appeared that their master had someone keep an eye on them, for no sooner had they awakened, then another faceless servant of their master showed up. He explained their mission to them once more, going into detail, telling them which village they were to go after first. It was hidden leaf, the biggest target, the most populated and powerful of all the ninja villages. They were then told that part of their mission had changed. They were still to steal techniques from whoever they could, but now they were also permitted to let others know they were from hidden sound. It seemed at odds with what they'd been told earlier, but they'd do it. It was what they'd been told to do, and the mission was connected to their master, so disobeying wasn't wise. The servant told them to prepare, they would leave at dawn.
(Match Kick: 10/10)

"Dammit! We're not leaving today either?! What the hell!"
Shouta was obviously upset, but didn't raise too much of a scene. Perhaps it was because he was still within the confines of his master's house, or perhaps it was just that they had actually been given permission to leave and a time, but he subsided quickly enough. He wasn't done complaining, though, Lolita was sure of that, just as sure as the fact that she'd be the continued victim of his ire. They were sent to their room to prepare, and once again were kept under strict guard. The guard wasn't as foolish as before, he had no intention of seeing what they did ever again.
Finally, after a night spent mostly awake, morning came. Shouta and Lolita were both ready to go even before the sun had risen, they were both looking forward to this new degree of freedom and autonomy they would have. Such an unrestricted way of life was practically alien to them, they would take advantage of it without hesitation. Dawn came, and their door was unlocked and opened, letting them go on their way. Nobody met them at the docks, or even saw them off. Their guard had vanished just before they were released, as well. As of this moment, until they were recalled, they were effectively on their own. There would be no one to watch over them, to aid them or give them assistance if they ran into trouble. Of course, they were still bound to hidden sound and their master by invisible strings of irrefutable power.
(Rising Knee: 2.5/2.5)

Using her Byakugen, Sayuri was able to spot a small clearing in the middle of a forest about eight hundred metres away. After closly observing her surroundings, Sayuri decided that that would be the best place to unmask her follower.
Two minutes later, there was a 600 metre gap between her, her follower and the clearing. As she turned a corner, Sayuri heard a twig snap. Thinking things through, she decided that, instead of acting as if she had heard the sound, she would be better off leaving it. Hopefully that would give her stalker the impression that she wasn't as fully trained as she appeared to be....

Mythical Healing Hand 2/10

With a three hundred metre gap between her and a chance to find out who her follower was, Sayuri was desperate. She wanted to run so badly, run away from this whole mess, but she knew that running would just make it worse then it already was.
And that was the last thing she wanted to do.
After realising just how much pressure trying to outwit a stalker could be, Sayuri definately decided she didn't want to be in this position ever again. Being the follower might be better, but Sayuri dismissed that idea.
"One wrong move. Just one wrong move and it was all over.
One wrong move and you're as good as dead"

Mythical Healing Hand 4/10