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Kerthump. Kerthump. Kerthump. Kansei's heart pounded in his chest like a drum. A tasty beat started up inside the Risky Business; it was the perfect tune to play for the biggest fight of his young life. The Legendary Deserter Ki Todo looked Kansei up and down, "Watchu wan' kid?"

"This is a challenge." To the puzzled expression on his foes face, "I'm here to take your place as the number one worst student in Kumogakure!" Kansei took up a fighting stance, then ran in at Ki Todo. He dipped and dodged around the Deserter's ham-sized fists. He has the stance of a boxer. He's rigid, guarded, and strong. Too bad I'm better than that. Kansei weaved around the punches, then landed a few soft hits on the man's chest. Then, with stunning power, he performed an uppercut that sent the giant reeling!

Kansei retreated. Five, then ten feet. He needed space for this next attack. This time, it was a jutsu, one of his own design, and it was, in fact, the first he ever truly 'mastered'. All it required was a single Snake seal; it was an Earth Release technique. After the hand seal was made, Kansei put more space between him and Ki. Ten, Fifteen, Twenty, Perfect.

The Legendary Dropout shook the dizziness from his head. He bared his teeth and ran in for a doozy of a haymaker. Just as he got to the ten-foot mark, Kansei yelled, "Earth Release: Clay Tile Trap no Jutsu, Mark I!" With those words, the jutsu activated. From directly beneath Ki Todo, the earth shifted. A square column of earth jutted upwards and launched the Legendary Deserter at the young student.

With haste, Kansei got low, and performed another Snake Seal. He quickly leaped backwards. He was just in time to get out of the way of a second Clay Tile Trap no Jutsu (Mark I). This one launched Ki Todo straight up. Kansei watched him ascend. As he got to the apex of his climb, Kansei suddenly noticed something odd. It seemed oddly dark.

In those fractions of fractions of moments, a horrified expression came across Kansei's visage. Ki Todo, the Legendary Dropout was totally eclipsing the sun. He was falling, and Kansei... Poor Kansei... He was right in Ki's shadow!

"Oomph!"

-83 lines

Looking around the room, Sora observed the students that were trapped in the class just as he was. Most of them were very attentive, acting like robots who were slaved to their programming. Then there were a few that were just talking to each-other, completely ignoring what the Chuunin had to say and what he was showing. Sora though, was multi-tasking as he was paying attention to the teacher while also doing his own thing. The idea of doing exactly what was being taught to them wasn't any way to become good at something, but the art of observing and reacting to what stimuli was around one was how things were done. That and also having a plan of your own also helped as going by pure instinct wasn't always effective ether. Either way though, it was the last day of class and it was almost time for the final exam. Unlike most Chuunin though, this one prefured to send out the students and get them to complete a task not all of them could pass just to test their skill set against one another, with combat allowed. He wasn't worried about this though as he'd already planned out how things would work out.

"Alright, that's it for classes. Now time for your exam." The chuunin stated in a sharp tone that woke everyone from their mindless day dreams. "There are four scrolls located in the four rooms; Principles office, Teachers Lounge, Storage, and in the combat training room. Even though there are over three dozen of you, you must attempt to obtain one and return it to me." The whole room became silent as the got ready to bust out of their seats. With a silent nod, everyone suddenly vanished from their seats. Well, that is except for Sora. Instead he just stood up and moved over to a window and leaped from it to leave the room.

The moment that he'd left the room, he had a plan on how to get one of the scrolls. He wasn't very adapt to fighting, and he knew that everyone would be fighting in the hall ways so instead he'd take the indirect route. Factoring in how familiar everyone was with these locations, Sora's scroll in mind was going to be the one in the storage room. It was the most out of the way compared to the other three locations, plus not many people would actually go there anyways so it was the perfect target for him. Only problem though was that it was HUGE! and filled with god know's what so his plan would have to work perfectly. There were a few things that wouldn't help though, and that was he'd have to pass near the combat training building in which he knew that might bring some problems.

Sora wasn't traveling as fast as he could, he had planned on this though since he was using the most effective route to his destination. Bounding off of the outside of the building and other random objects, he continued to make way to the storage building. Soon though something caught his attention, causing him to duck. He was right to be cautious on that since a kuni buzzed over his head and flew passed him, digging into the wall of the building. He swiftly moved forward not looking back, jumped and then used the kuni as a spring board to launch himself up onto the roof. He kinda knew who was going after him, it was the ace of the class. He was the only one that ever attempted to go for a head shot with sharp weapons. He excelled in weapons and close quarters combat, so staying away would be best. Once on the roof, he wove several hand seals together which covered himself in a white cloud of smoke. Once the cloud dissipated, there stood five versions of Sora. The all stood their ground looking at the academy student whom was following him. Before anything could actually start though, five kuni's buzzed through the air and struck all the Sora's. They all disappeared into smoke which caused the other student to just shake his head and rush off. After a minute or two, Sora stood up from being hidden inside a vent that was near the show down that just happened. He cracked a grin and then continued to move towards the storage room.

The slow creaking of the metallic door echo'd inside the empty room which housed everything an academy student could use to work on his or her training. Quietly and slowly stepped a taller then average female, who never even attempted to go for the light switch. Slowly moving, she kept a weary eye open for the scroll in which everyone was sent to obtain. This building was extensive even in this small room. This female though knew something compared to everyone else it seemed though as she quickly wove a few hand seals together and closed her eyes. "Release" she said sharply but quietly. With that, a pile of kuni's vanished revealing a table with the scroll on it alone. With a wide smile forming on her face, she stepped to the table to retreve her prize. Before she could get there though, a very thin cord wrapped itself around her ankle. In a quick state of panic she grasped a kuni of her own and swung down at it. The blade broke the cord, but she soon noticed that the cord was just a spar piece in which was just thrown into the building. With a sigh of releaf, she knelt down to take the cord off. That sigh though became muffled as a piece of cloth came out from no where and covered her mouth while several thicker metallic cords wrapped themselves around her. Once she was completely tied up, Sora released his grip from the ceiling and landed onto the table. "Thanks... I figured that someone would be able to do that." He started to chuckle and with that Sora grabbed the scroll and headed out of the building through a loose ceiling panel in which he entered by.

((1,027/2,000 words))

For a moment, Sora just rested on the roof of the storage shed. He tucked the newly acquired scroll in his belt and just knelt there for a second, his mind working full speed. He'd waited quite a while for someone to do that work for him inside the shed, so it was more then likely that a few of the other scrolls had been obtained if not handed in already. Now time was working against him, the more scrolls handed in the more they'd be looking for this particular scroll. With a light sigh Sora stood up and pushed himself off of the roof he was on, landing softly, and started to head for the closest building that was linked to the class room he needed to get to. This wasn't all that far from him, thankfully since the academy was mostly just one huge linked building with a few separate portable rooms/sheds lying around the school grounds. Getting to the building wasn't a problem, the problem was that the class room he needed to get to was all the way across to the other side of the building. This building was huge anyways so it could take some time getting to the other side, and more then likely he'd encounter some classmates in which would want his scroll. Now it was time to work on a project he was saving for though as he really had no interest in fighting anyone today. Looking up the side of the building, Sora jumped and started to climb the wall. He was saving he chakra for now as he'd need it soon, so instead of climbing with chakra he had to manually scale the wall. Once to the roof, he was more tired then anticipated. Unfortunately though there was another problem, and that was that there were more students up on the roof then he thought would be up there as well. Not much he could do though. Reaching to his metallic backpack, he pressed a button and from the backpack two metallic wings sprung out from the sides. Unfortunately someone noticed the scroll the he had on him. "He has a scroll!" one of the others shouted while pointing directly at him, well more or less the scroll on his hip then him but it still singled him out.

There was a momentary silence about as all the fighting stopped and everyone looked at Sora, and he looked back at them. With a light sigh, Sora took off in a full towards the crowd. This shocked everyone slightly, but didn't stop them from charging him as well. Sora wasn't stupid though, and as soon as he was about 50 yards from the closest student he quickly shifted his aim and headed for a ledge of the building. Now he was focusing his chakra to his back, specifically where his backpack was touching his back. In a few seconds, Sora had reached AND jumped off the side of the building. The group of students stopped in their tracks and just looked at where Sora had just disappeared from. Suddenly though, he re-appeared using his backpack to soar through the air. He'd been working on this device in which used his chakra to heat the air under the wings of his backpack and force it to rapidly flow around them. Kinda like a self created updraft in a personal scale but jet like force. Ether way, his plans had worked and he was up in the air above all his competition. Things didn't stay calm though as no-one was just going to let him get away without a fight. Plently of shurikens and kuni's whizzed by Sora, with a few of them striking the metal. The blades wouldn't do much, there was nothing really to damage except the main components on his back. Ether way though, Sora had to use the huge air space to dodge some of the weapons as they were aimed for the soft tissue and not the metallic device on his back.

Without warning though, while leaning to his left to dodge a few shurikens, a large fire ball flew passed him almost connecting with him. That attempt on him started a wave of Ninjutsu attacks aimed his way. Several; Air Sickles, Fire Balls, and Tidal waves started to come his way. This forced him to rely on his instincts, speeding up and preforming a barrel roll to his left as to miss the tidal wave and other strikes. One thing he wasn't aware of though was that the ninjutsu specialist of the class was working on something. From out of no where, a huge thunder bolt shot down from the sky and struck Sora's right wing just as he finished the evasive maneuver. Besides ripping the wing off, this also sent a huge surge of electricity throughout his body. Muscles tensing up, and eyes clenching shut, he was in trouble. Luckily though he'd made it as far as he needed to though, the classroom was beneith him. Once his eyes opened, Sora used his downward spiral to swing himself in through the window.

With a loud crash, and shattering of the window, Sora demolished a few desks in his own crash landing. Slow to move after the fact, the piolet of the home-made craft stood up with head ringing and backpack smoldering. Once up, he took off the device on his back and looked it over, ignoring the one person who was waiting their patiently. "God damn it..." he stated in frustration as he threw the device back out the window. It was completely messed up and he'd have to start all over again to get it functioning. Well he'd made it to the point in which he was aiming for, even though he'd messed up his master piece of technology. Turning over to the Chuunin that was waiting for him, even though he didn't look to impressed with the destruction that had just been shown to him. "So... got beaten again Sora-Shou?" the Chuunin asked as he started to approach the young-ish student. "Kinda... but still couldn't take the scroll from me." Sora replied as he reached to his belt and grabbed the scroll. Showing the Chuunin the scroll itself, he just shrugged his shoulders and tossed it to him. Just at that moment, a few of the other students flooded through the window and looked over at Sora. He just shook his head and pointed to where the scroll was now. "Just a little slow guys..." There was a silence in the room as everyone knew that he was right, and slowly the rest of them left the room in search for someone who had another scroll. Sora on the other hand knew that he was done for the day, he'd beaten the odds and actually obtained a scroll, he wasn't the first one to do it, but he wasn't the last one ether so he was happy with how everything worked out. Unfortunately he wasn't happy about how his prized possession was now just a pile of metal in which he'd now need to re-plan everything out in order to make it better and more durable then ever. He'd need to wait though for the others to return so that graduation could happen. With that, Sora just took a seat near the back of the class yet again, already working on blue-prints for his newest invention while ignoring the Chuunin who wanted him to clean up the mess he'd made.

((1,027[last post] +1,256[this post] = 2,283/2,000 words therefor graduation :3))

Jigun Harumi of Fire Country


"Ay..." The word was so faint it could barely be heard, it was as though someone was whispering it down a long hallway, echoing against the walls to barely sustain it's sound. "... ay...." The word echoed out again, no stronger then the one before it but yet carrying an emotion with it. But what was it? Why was that single word, barely a word at that but just a sound, why was it so urgent? What about it pestered him so much about it that he felt the need to chase after it's origins and find out. Wishing to quell the boiling curiosity that was building up within, he attempted to move forward, move towards the sound but he found it was not possible, his body was steadfast to keeping its current position, no amount of will or strength could be mustered to move himself.

Opting to give up his resistance, he tried to search out for the sound again, in hopes to find the source with his senses instead. Vainly he searched, clawing out with his mind for more then just that single sound, for something a bit more in the absurd darkness that surrounded him on all fronts. "... ay.... yu.... ite..." A feeling of surprise and anxiety shot throughout him as the sound began to spread into more, there was more, more then just the black abyss, more then just that single sound. Now he just had to reach out and get it, but his body was so heavy, so very heavy, nothing would allow him to move on his own accord, it refused to. "....ut.... l.... yu..... m...." AH! More, more! The sounds were flowing in more as the seconds and minutes and hours passed, there was more of them, an albeit they meant little in substantial meaning they were all the world to him in the unforgiving world he was in now.

"....ing a bu.... er..." They were starting to take form, the sounds were slowly starting to become words, and the words would eventually become sentences, right? Right! And with sentences there would have to be a source, a human source that would lead to more of a world, a better world. He just needed to reach out, he had to reach out, if he didn't he feared he would loose it. But his body still wouldn't respond, not to him at very least, in fact he now wondered what happened to his body. It was less the lack of movement ability and more the absence of a body to move now that he thought about it. Was he simply a consciousness without a body? Was this what it was like before birth, suspended in nothing, just waiting for outside contact to bring him forth into the world? No, he would not wait for contact, he would search for it. ".. da.... or it..." Or it? Or it... He sounded like the words of a question but it was phrased more like a command, what was the command though... He searched out, his mind working furiously to garner what was really going on.

Slowly another sound began to enter the dark abyss, but this wasn't the sound of a word... no... it sounded more like movement. Movement of what though was the question, what was moving? Focusing harder he began to distinguish the sound more clearly, the gurgling of water, the rushing of wind... It was... the world outside! And it was heading straight at him?


~Ten minutes before~

"Look, I just want to go inside.." The words were soft spoken and yearning to avoid conflict, no... they were cowering from conflict, begging for it to be avoided. "You know, I hate know it alls like you, walking around all snobbish, thinking you own the world cause you went to a proper schooling." This voice was harsher, stronger... intimidating. The voice wanted conflict, it wanted to fight. "It's not like that, please, I just want to go inside, please." The first voice begged; a young man, no older then fifteen or sixteen years old, he was of a weak build and stood only at five foot six, his brown hair clung to his head in a fish bowl style as he stood before his opposer in his school uniform. "For what? You don't belong here, just go run back home like the pathetic mouse you are. Go on little mouse, run back to your pathetic home, with your pathetic father and mother to live your pathetic life, keep head down just like that or I will show you why you should never raise it to me." The second voice growled out, the weight of his words meant to grind out what little fighting spirit the first had, a feat that wouldn't be hard to do. In comparison to the first boy, the second was a Goliath, standing at almost six feet with a large, gnarled build, his bald head shown in the light bringing more attention to the the muscled jaw and hungry grin.

The first boy was Harumi Jigun, son of the bakers Harumi Jang and Aoi, and before this day an up and coming scholar for the Fire Country's Diayamo... but as the rise of crime began to infest the streets of villages and the ever promising war over seas, the country began to see less of a need for scholars and more pressing need for a stronger militia. As such, Jigun had been forced out of his studies and now stood before the entrance of the ninja academy, where his first challenge awaited him. Kanatta Shung, a bulking waste of meat that had been all to dumb to attend even elementary classes and been sent to join the academy to prove his worth, as such he had grown a distaste for those with intelligence and treated all with hostility. Now forced to join the academy as well, Jigun has no choice but to face off with Shung who will not open way for him to enter.

Fist curled and tears swelling, Jigun was reaching his limit dealing with Shung. He may not be strong or fast but he was no imbecile to be talked down to by the likes of Shung, let alone allow the oaf to talk bad about his family. "Let me through you hulking pile of waste, I have business to attend to and you are not worth my time!" Jigun lashed out, his face red with the exertion, his mouth foaming with rage and his tearing eyes locked hard on to... a fist?

~A few Minutes Later~

"Hey... hey, buddy? Hey, are you alright?" The voice was soft and caring, yet held a distinct level of authority and strength that was unlike Jigun's or Shung's. "What the hell did you do to him, Shung?!" The voice questioned in a furious tone, Shung cowering back slightly but not so much that he lost his nerve to respond, "Just gave him what he was asking for." Shung said with a laugh, figuring that breaking in the boy's face and letting him through was one in the same, or at least for his pleasure it would be. Still laughing he walked away quickly from the scene. "Gah! Someone bring me a bucket of water! Yes, yes, you thank you. Pour it on him." The voice demanded, another body immediately obeying. Moments later Jigun rushed up from his position on the ground as the cold water splashed against his skin and roused him from his unconscious state, "What... *cough* what is going on.. ow..." He questioned, his hand reaching to touch his bleeding nose with a wince. "Ah, good to see you awake. The name's Takami Kiyo, my friends call me Taka-chan, nice to meet you." Kiyo said with a smile, extending a hand out towards Jigun to help him up but the hand was rudely pushed to the side as Jigun pridefully tried to get up on his own but only succeeded in stumbling back down and being caught by Kiyo. "Whoa now, buddy, lets get you some legs before you try to walk, alright?" "NO! Get off of me, I am not your buddy, you are not my friends!" Jigun exploded, attempting to shove Kiyo away roughly but failed as he only ended up falling to the ground again. Shuffling a few measures away to a nearby bench, he used it to bring himself to his feet. "None of you are my friends, I am not one of you.." He spewed out the word venomously, as though it might kill him if he kept it in his mouth any longer, "I am a scholar, not a killer, keep your disgusting hands off of me!" He crowned, the blood gushing from his nose making it difficult for him to pronunciate properly, but nonetheless he proudly spoke and proudly limped away. "Eh, suit yourself then..." Kiyo said with a shrug, before walking into the academy, taking only a single look back at the proudly defeated boy that just gotten his face smashed in. Some how he couldn't help but smile and feel as though they would make great friends.


~Later that night~


Jigun laid, curled up in his bed, scrolls and books surrounding him on all fronts to make a makeshift castle of sorts. His body shook and trembled as he cried into his pillow, his mind racing around the conversation he had with his parents earlier. He had begged them, pleaded with them to let him go back to his studies but they wouldn't, they couldn't and he knew that. He had only been able to based on a scholarship he had earned to go, they didn't have the money to send him, not with the pathetic - for a moment he cringed as Shung's taunts clawed at his mind... no, not pathetic, just not enough earnings. The bakery couldn't make money, not during these times and with his scholarship revoked due to the need of shinobi, he had no choice. It was mandatory that he joined the militia, no one would be able to save him from the threat that waited for him behind those walls...

His mind went back to the day's events and how he had met Takami and the way he rudely rejected his helping hand. A heavy sigh shook his body as he felt overwhelmed by disappointment. Why did he do that? The guy had only wanted to help him out, he wasn't like Shung... a brute a** hole. And yet he treated him like that.. he would probably never be able to show his face there again. He dreaded the idea that he would have to go there again tomorrow. Not only had he embarrassed himself, gotten his lights punched out by an oaf, and wronged the only person that had been nice to him... he also skipped class... completely. He had no idea where he needed to go tomorrow and it was likely that all his teachers would be furious with him... A groan of defeat riddled the room, tomorrow was not going to be any better then today and he knew it...



For the next few months, the days went by similarly to the first. Each day Shung would hunt down and beat Jigun, usually taking whatever pocket ryo he had for lunch that day and embarrassing him in some fashion. Some days he would manage to get away from Shung if he stuck to the teachers like glue but it would only end with him having to run all the way back to Otafuku City with Shung hot in his tracks, something that was sometimes worse then being beaten up before his classmates. Each day he would watch Takami from afar, the boy quickly became popular amongst the other students and excelled in all points in the academy... unlike Jigun who was physically weak and hadn't owned a shred of chakra to be proud of. The only saving graces was the fact that the school was similar to regular schools and had taught proper subjects like math and science, although in the purpose of assassination, it still pertained the aspects of normal knowledge as well; a smart shinobi was a living shinobi.

It was only when the classes had started preparing for outdoor tasks that things changed...



It was a sunny afternoon when Jigun was made to line up with Shung and Kiyo before Sensei Nene, the rest of the academy watching from the bleachers several yards behind. "TODAY! WE WILL BE TESTING WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED THIS SEMESTER IN A GROUP ACTIVITY!" Nene exclaimed loudly for all to hear, her arm motioning towards the obstacle course before them, "YOU ARE MEANT TO WORK AS A TEAM TO GET THROUGH THIS COURSE AND LAND A SINGLE STRIKE ON THE FIGHTING DUMMY IN THE MIDDLE, BEWARE THOUGH THERE ARE TRAPS THAT CAN KILL IF YOU ARE TOO CARELESS!" Like that was even necessary to say, Jigun retorted in his mind, his eyes looking at all the sharp weapons that littered the field, obviously they would be attached to devices that would fling them at the boys. Even though the sensei said it was required to work as a team, the three of them was the worst pair possible... Kiyo was an all star, Shung was a pure brute, and Jigun? Jigun was nothing... Kiyo would easily get through the course by his own clever workings, Shung would probably just run straight through... Jigun however was better off just quilting but he knew that if he did the consequences would be worse then death. Disappointment from Kiyo, jeering from the students, and a beat down from BOTH Nene and later Shung... no, he rather risk his life.

It would be a few moments later that Nene would announce for them to begin and as he thought, Shung immediately raged through as Kiyo disappeared into the thicket of the course, leaving Jigun well in the dust. Huffing heavily, he jogged after them and began making his way through. It wouldn't be long before he sustained his first wound, the sound of Shung's howling laughing reaching him from where he crumpled up in pain. Growling he continued on, doing his best to ignore the pain of the continued cuts and gashes he was sustaining.

Minutes turned into hours before Jigun finally escaped the course from hell, his body practically torn to shreds from it. To his amazement Shung and Kiyo weren't that far ahead as they stood prepared to fight before the dummy, "What are you waiting for? Hit it!" Jigun exclaimed, impatient for this training to be over however neither of them moved. Growing, he pulled out a kunai from the leg strap he wore and charged foreword, "If you wont! I WILL!" He said as bravely as possible, this would be the moment he showed up Kiyo, the moment his strength beat Shung's, this was his time! Never did he pay mind to the calls and pleas to stop, both of them warning that it was dangerous, both running to stop him. Frantically he looked around for what they could be so scared about as he soared through the air to land on the dummy... the dummy... The dummy was not a dummy but a person, one with a weapon that was held to the throat of Nene-sensei's throat.

It was too late, he was already in the air and there was no stopping him... the man had turned his eyes already onto him, his arm flickering to strike him down in the air. Eyes sealed shut, Jigun accepted his fate to end here... maybe it was better like this, a quick and decisive end to his misery, yeah.. it was certainly better like this, was it not? And then there was a heavy thump against his side and then a painful crunch as he landed against the floor with a heavy form on his, the feeling of a hot liquid touched his face.

Opening his eyes slowly, he would witness death for the first time. Nene's sword was protruding from the man's temples, keeping him suspended in the air before being flung off like he was of no importance. Gingerly he touched his face with the tips of his fingers and brought them before his eyes, his sight shaking as he realized it was blood that he had touched. But not his blood... was it the blood of the attacker? No... For the first time he became aware of what had knocked him to the floor. It was Kiyo that huddled over him grinning widely, Shung looming over with a bleeding hand that held the blade of the attacker, "Don't think you can die just on your own like that. I will be the one to kill you." Shung said, Jigun unsure if it was a joke or serious, "He's joking, by the way." Kiyo assured him, as though he could read his mind.

Wide eyed, Jigun scrambled out from Kiyo and backed several paces off. Those two? They saved him? The man that tortured him every day had saved him from death? The guy that everyone envied, risked himself to save him? No... it didn't make any sense... what were they up to... no... no.. "NO!" Jigun howled before running off furiously into the distance.. He was tired of being saved, he was tired of being looked down on, he was tired of it all, tired, tired, tired, tired.... he was very tired..

It was dark out by the time Jigun stopped running, he had finally made it out to a creek that lapped around one of the many forests in the village. There he dropped down onto both knees and stared at his appearance in the water, tears streaming down his face to drip into the creek and distort the reflection. Why was he so despicable? So horrible. He hated himself, he hated what he had done, what he was doing... Why was he like this, so weak, so pathetic... Letting out an animalistic grow, he ripped his hand through his image in the water and in a rage rose to his feet and began to strike at everything. The trees, the rocks, the ground, himself, his clothes and he would only stop until he had finally expended all his strength and laid flat on the ground. His face swollen, his knuckles bleeding, he gazed into the dark sky above. He would not run anymore... If this was his fate, he would not be so pathetic, he was better then everyone single one of them, smarter then them... he just needed to be stronger. Strength could be worked at if he applied himself, surely his body would grow. Yes... he would never be pathetic again, he would not need anyone's help again... never.

3231 / 2000