Open Darting to Destiny: Returning Home

[Chikamatsu Shin]

Twisting his foot Shusuke would cause an intense migraine to strike at Shishiwakamaru as he shattered all three of the Genjutsu he had landed onto his friend. With the sound breaking of glass the vision the boy had would splinter as the Yamanaka Shattered his Reality. With a single handseal Shusuke would cause a bust of chakra to leave his body. Havoc of the Doomed Mind. The mind of Shishiwakamaru would begin to slow and grow calm. His emotions would fade away if the Yamanaka landed his genjutsu. This provided a moment for him to take advantage of the Puppet User's situation. "Fire Style: Pheonix Embrace" Shusuke would use his Genjutsu to try and throw his friend off, as Shishiwakamaru would know that Shusuke was not a proficient Ninjutsu User.

Moments after the words left his mouth a massive burst of heat would come from the Yamanaka and massive wings of fire would stretch out from his back as a large bird would erupt from his spine and took into the air. Raising his hand as if to direct the burning flames, the Yamanaka would slam his hand down to cause the bird to let out a screeching caw before swooping down and trying to slam into Shishiwakamaru. If the Nara fell to his Genjutsu he would begin to feel his body beginning to burn as the illusion mimiced the sensation of standing within flames.

Trying his best, yet failing to dodge most of Shishiwakamaru's attacks, Shusuke would use his floating chained weapons to fly through the air to continue to strike and slash at his friend.

((OoC: Feel free to decide want lands, based on last round your attacks almost always land lol))

 

[Shishiwakamaru]

Immense pain washed over the young Nara as Shusuke released the multiple genjutsu that were placed upon him. His vision blurred and distorted as his mind was assaulted with much vigor. It effected him so much that he missed his first attack. Shishi darted towards Shusuke, attempting to land a few basic strikes, but touched nothing but air as his vision was truly compromised. Jumping back to avoid any physical altercation with his friend he charged up the seals on his weapon and watched as his traps were sprung. Placed on a timer it was only a matter of time before they went off, and Shi had maneuvered Shusuke exactly where he wanted him to be. Explosions went off as the Explosive Note went off, catching Shusuke off guard. Then a plethora of ninja wire sprung to life, wrapping Shusuke up tightly, making it difficult for them to move. This too was followed up with another pop as the final trap went off. Shusuke would find themselves in a pool of dark, viscous oil. All part of the preparation.

Taking full advantage of the now bound up Shusuke, Shishiwakamaru would rush over and pound him into the ground. Doing so the explosive note on his weapon would go off, sending another explosion resounding off into the distance. He wondered if anyone was in the area to hear the racket going on over here. Then, suddenly, he felt his mind weaken and falter. He felt numb, like the color of the world was sucked away until nothing was left but dull grayness. Even while tied up in ninja wire, sitting in oil, Shusuke proved to be a most efficient genjutsu user. The brilliant display by Shusuke gave Shi a sense of awe, to the point where he stood there like a dummy until it was all but too late for him. Trying to outrun the phoenix proved useless and was easily overtaken by the flames.

Now on fire, or at least presumably so, Shi began to scream in pain and terror. "AAAGHH!! I'm on fire, what the hell??!?! Ow Ow OWWWW!" Shishi tried his best to put out the flames but no matter how hard he tried they simply would not give up. That was when it hit him, Shusuke was no ninjutsu user. This had to be a genjutsu. Using the same technique that got him out of that last sticky situation where Shusuke overtook his mind and assaulted his friends with his body, Shishi would focus as hard as he could and use his 'Willpower' to try and get out of this fiery mess. But it failed, Shusuke's grip on his mind was far too strong for him to break free in this moment. Trying his best to ignore the immense pain of feeling like he was on fire, Shi pushed through and re-strung his puppets to his hands.

Using his trump card was the only way, he had to do it. Surely he would get in a shit ton of trouble for doing this, but right now winning was the only thing on his mind. You know how boys are, all competitive and stuff. Even in his usual meekness, Shishiwakamaru wanted to be the victor in this bout. The chakra strings whirred and whistled as Shi pulled them to and fro. His puppet opened up to reveal a plethora of miniature chakra bombs and would litter the battlefield with explosions. [Atomic Core] Shishi would feel the sting as well with this particular jutsu, but it would be worth it if he at least landed a few on Shusuke. As the dust began to settle Shi would see Shusuke still tied up in the oil spill and sent off a final farewell card in the form of multiple fireballs. [Fireball - Mythical Phoenix Fire] Shi would call out to Shusuke, still on fire of course, trying to heed Haniki's words from just a bit ago. "Do you concede, Shusuke? I don't want to keep hurting you..."

 

[Chikamatsu Shin]

A seies of attacks came from the puppet master before him. Wires and oil and explosions, they were all tools and traps used by Shishiwakamaru that caught Shusuke off guard. He wasn't to concerned until there were back to back explosions. Breaking loose of the wires and rolling backwards, Shusuke's back slammed against a nearby tree. He was burnt, bruised, and bleed.

But he laughed.

A smile came across Shusuke's face and tears began to swell into his eyes. Wiping the tear from his eyes he continued to laugh, dropping his head between his knees as he spoke softly. "You're gonna be okay..."

Bringing his face up from between his knees the tears were now visible streaking down his dirt and soot covered face. He looked like a beaten and abused child, only being an 8 year old academy student. He sometimes forgets that he's a few years younger than Shishiwakamaru. Shusuke's progression in classes made him more confident than he should be. There was a difference between showing skills in a moderated exam, and actually using them in combat. Shishiwakamaru had three more years of experience on Shusuke and days like today really showed that fact.

"You're really gonna be okay aren't you? I don't need to worry after all."

His chuckles and laughter finally broke. The face he was trying to carry, this mask he was trying to hide behind, finally broke. Actual tears began to pour from his eyes as the young child began to sob. His friend was dying, but he was still strong. Shishiwakamaru was dying, but he wasn't going to die.

MFT: 250+

 

[Uchiha Kuroko]

The sound of dry dirt crumbling underfoot lingered as Kuroko walked through the grounds of the academy. It had been only a short time since his graduation, his fresh forehead protector still had that new sheen that only served to catch the rays of the sun overhead. The Uchiha walked for some time with hands in his pockets enjoying a gentle breeze while he had the time to savour it. The uncharacteristically blonde tips of his hair swayed with the air current that passed over him. On occasion it caught the large sheath that the boy carried on his back, but he didn’t worry; the gusts were only feeble and had no chance to take the boy off balance.

Both hands transitioned from the boy’s pockets and up to the back of his head, exposed porcelain fingers seemed to meld with Kuroko’s face for a moment as they passed - the fair skin tone appearing almost uniform in that moment. The boy took a breath, closing his grey-blue eyes for a few seconds as he continued to pace. He needed time to think about the most optimal training strategy that he could employ to accelerate both his abilities as a shinobi as well as his attainable ranks. He still hadn’t quite decided exactly which path he was going to take, Kuroko figured that there would be plenty of time to pick considering his age and the relative peace that Konoha found itself in. Or at least that was his perception for the time being.

A pebble flew forwards as Kuroko kicked at the ground, his eyes now open. The sound of a commotion piqued his interest as he rounded a corner towards the main courtyard. It appeared that two students were demonstrating their martial prowess. Each one demonstrating abilities beyond that of what the academy required for graduating marks. One black eyebrow quirked in interest, maybe this combat was worth watching.

Kuroko stopped walking and leant back against the wall of the academy, his eyes focusing on the pair as they engaged one another. It appeared as though the fight was almost over, one student seemingly having gained the upper hand - but Kuroko wasn’t one to take things at face value. There was still time, and maybe one of them had a few more tricks ready to share with the world (or at least their small audience).

[Topic entered]
[MFT]
[WC: 396]

 

[Shishiwakamaru]

"You're really gonna be okay aren't you? I don't need to worry after all." Tears began to stream down Shusuke's face causing Shishiwakamaru's demeanor to shift in an instant. From a fighting attitude to one of sorrow and heartbreak, tears began to well up inside young Shi as he witnessed his best friend crying. Letting his puppet slump down into the dirt in a lifeless state, Shi would start running over to where Shusuke was he would leap into his arms in a loving embrace. "Of course I'm going to be ok, I have you don't I?" Shi hugged Shu tighter before releasing his grasp on him.

Reaching into his pack he would pull out a med kit and would begin to provide first aid to Shusuke. The fight was over, at least for him. It was made clear that despite his condition, the young Nara still had some fight left in him. Looking into Shusuke's eyes as he applied some burn ointment onto his arms he would apologize. "I'm sorry I hurt you, Shu. I didn't want to, really. But you believe in me now, right?" Next came a bandage that would be wrapped around Shusuke's arm to keep the burns clean so they can heal properly. Shi would glance over toward Haniki and back to Shusuke. "We should probably go apologize to Haniki, yeah? I don't think she appreciated us duking it out like that. What do you think?" Using this line as a distraction Shi would take this chance to pour some wound cleaner onto a rag and dab some minor cuts on Shu's face.

 

[Chikamatsu Shin]

As Shishiwakamaru let go of Shusuke, th younger boy would wipe tears from his face before scoffing at his friend. "What? No, you didn't hurt me, this is all Genjutsu to make you feel better about yourself." That was a lie. Shusuke knew he was losing this fight and that if they continued he would probably be needing an actual medic and not just his fellow student's assistance. He was trying to laugh through the sadness. Turning his gaze towards Haniki he continued. "Yea, I am su-YOU SON OF A BITCH!" He would holler out as his face began to burn from the wound cleaner. Instinctually his arm would swing for a punch to Shishiwakamaru's face, which the young Nara could most likely dodge easily with how tired the young Yamanaka boy was.

"Gods be damned, what was that? I would rather get an infection... Fuck."

The slew of profanities continued under his breath as he made the handseal to perform the Mystic Hands Jutsu before placing his glowing green hand onto his face. He knew basic Medical Ninjutsu, after all he met Shishiwakamaru pretending to be a Medic and helped heal an injured boy when he was suposed to be doing errands for his mother.

 

[Uchiha Kuroko]

The Uchiha boy watched on from his resting position as the combat came to an uncharacteristically supportive and emotional close. Kuroko blinked once at the exchange; it appeared that the combatants were rather close friends - begging the question of why they were fighting so fiercely in the first place. A small shrug met the boy’s mental questions, regardless of what the situation was, he was pleasantly surprised to see some positivity in the village amongst his peers. This was the sort of jovial interactions that he could expect at this age, but deep in the back of his mind Kuroko knew that there was only so long that he would be able to enjoy these things. The life of a shinobi was never something that particularly meshed with a lighthearted outlook on life - the history books had told him that much.

He sighed, returning from his depressive mental segway, and returned his focus to the group before him. They seemed to be nice enough, at least with one another. Kuroko didn't have many friends to speak of per say, he was acquainted with many individuals but none had really passed the outer limits of his friendship towards a trusted circle. The boy didn’t mind so much, but there was definitely a feeling of subtle loneliness which passed over him. His focus in school and drive to be the best academically had left his social skills a little in the dust - that was okay though. Simply watching this group of friends was enough to give him a subtle joy for the time being. He didn’t particularly want to intrude on their conversation, it wouldn’t be long now until he decided to pack up his troubles and head home for the evening.

There was only so long each day that he could carry the single strapped great fan sheath on his back. His father had told him that practising with the fan now would serve to strengthen him sooner, enabling a better control over the weapon both while it was being used and while it was tucked away. Kuroko pushed himself off from the wall and stretched, his arms bent at the elbows and pulled back to puff his chest out. One or two pops as vertebrae realigned was all that could be heard in the immediate vicinity up until the Uchiha boy sighed. That was a relief.

Kuroko decided not to go anywhere just yet, he was an audience to a pleasant show, and it would be amiss for him to leave just yet. Though he didn’t make an attempt to join the cast before him. He just watched, as usual.

 

[Shishiwakamaru]

"YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Shusuke cried out in pain before punching Shishiwakamaru square in the face. The impact sent Shishi sprawling over to the side with his legs comedically twitching in the air. His eyes swirling in his sockets as the anger-fueled punch sent him into a daze. "Gods be damned, what was that? I would rather get an infection... Fuck." Shi would slowly regain his composure and pick himself off the ground, dusting himself off as he did so. "It's just some simple wound cleaner, ya big baby. Just let me... Oh ok then, fine, do it yourself." Shishi crossed his arms as he watched his friend perform some simple medical ninjutsu upon himself. With a sigh Shi would roll his eyes and continue to help Shusuke out by pulling out some senbon from his flesh, each one sending a small prick of pain as he pulled them out. "Sit still and don't squirm, you're just making this harder than it needs to be..." Shishi would manhandle Shu if he tried to get up and get away, forcing him back onto the ground so he could work on removing the rest of the senbon. He too would then perform the Mystic Hands ninjutsu and seal up the tiny holes the thin needles had left. "See, that wasn't so bad, now was it?"

Turning his attentions to Haniki Shi would apologize for the mess they made of things. "We're sorry it got a little out of hand, Haniki. My excuse isn't a good one, but Shusuke kinda backed me into a wall where I had no other option than to defend myself and my honor, I hope you can understand." Shishiwakamaru would look to Shusuke and offer him a hand up, if he so wanted. But he wouldn't be surprised if his hand was knocked away considering how headstrong and stubborn his friend could be. Shishi would suddenly raise his hand, a single index finger pointed upwards. He had an idea. "How about we go out to eat, a sort of 'let's put this behind us' type of celebratory meal, my treat. Wadda ya say guys?" Some bbq sounded pretty good right about now, he was fairly hungry after that little bout he and Shusuke just exchanged.

[OOC - MFT - WC: 377]

 

[Chikamatsu Shin]

Doing his best to sit still and take whatever "medicine" Shishiwakamaru was attempting to apply, Shusuke would roll his eyes at the snide remarks his friend made. Taking his hand and standing up to look back at Haniki, unaware of the onlooker, the young boy would waive his hand in the air at her nonchalantly. "Yea, yea, yea whatever. Just know I am not helping you all pay for the meat, that's on you."

Shusuke would dust himself off and move his glowing green hands from senbon wound to senbon wound as if to say Shishiwakamaru's healing wasn't good enough. Rolling his eyes before looking around at the state the training field was in he continued. "Just know, I am not taking any blame for all of this mess. These projectiles came from your puppets and you're the one causing scorch marks everywhere, not me. I was using Genjutsu and Taijutsu. You're the one using destructive force on Academy grounds." He would say as he simply walked away once again trying to remove the tear stains that trailed through the soot that rested on his face after the fight with his friend.

[topic left unless stopped]