Day 7
"My mom told me not to get killed. She's making a lot of food tonight." Shun said. Taiki's group shared a laugh before Michiya spoke.
"Um, my mom told me a lot of stuff, but the one thing that stayed with me was to give it your best shot. I know it's pretty cliché and everyone says it, but I guess it's the way she said it."
"Best shot …" Taiki's voice trailed off. "Yeah, a lot of people say it, but it means a lot coming from someone you know. Especially your mom. Remember, she and my dad were both on the same team when they were genin."
"Oh yeah…" Michiya said. "They were…"
Takumi, sitting beside Michiya thought for a moment.
"My mom told me to make it through alive no matter what. She became a medi-nin when she was younger and she's seen what's happened to everyone during the exams. She told me she'd rather have me back in one piece."
"Takumi, how are your brothers doing?" Shun asked. Takumi was the youngest of four brothers, and the three older ones had all become shinobi of some sort. The oldest had a family now, and was on call as an ANBU, much like the next oldest. He specialized in transporting important village elders. The third oldest was a hunter-nin. Takumi, after thinking about it, really wasn't sure what type of ninja to become...
- - -
Kyo, Kentu and Natsumi watched Yoshi and Miharu stare each other down.
Kazuki, Ayumi and Yama sat back looking ahead of the two rivals. A chef walked through the restaurant holding two very large bowls of ramen.
"Here is your lunch – "
He froze a bit as he saw both young women give him nasty looks.
"Um … enjoy!" he said, racing back to his post behind the counter. He leaned over to the cook, shaking a bit.
"You can feel the serious aura. I've never seen two people so intent on …"
Miharu lifted a pair of chopsticks, and Yoshi did the same.
"Ready?" she asked.
"Yeah." They both gave a signal to Kazuki.
"GO!" he shouted.
- - -
"I'm afraid you'll have to find another genin, or disqualify your team altogether." Tsunade said, looking down at Shizuna. The young woman's body was covered with burns from head to toe, and her heart rate was becoming slower by the minute.
"How can – we – this demo – " Kimiko stopped as the Fifth touched her shoulder.
"Karadazuba. A demon. It's not a bijuu, so there's no need for anyone to hunt her. A sealing process was used obviously, and this young woman did her best to keep it dormant inside of her. Be warned, once she dies, the demon flees her body. Like a forced extraction."
"Once she dies? Is the situation that hopeless?" Kimiko asked. Tsunade looked down at the young woman. She was still smiling in spite of everything.
"Ki – Kimiko…" she said in a soft voice. "Please, kill this demon."
She gave a final breath in the silent hospital room. Tsunade's green eyes were filled with fire.
"Kimiko, you can mourn later. Go get the jounin and chuunin. This demon isn't leaving the village." Tsunade said, looking down at the dead girl's body.
Kentoru, we will have some words if you should show yourself at the tournament. Tsuande thought.
- - -
"Taiki-kun." Kimiko quickly found a chuunin. She told him about the situation and told him to spread the word.
"All right." He said, whistling for Taru.
- - -
One … more … noodle left . Yoshi thought, looking across at Miharu, who was in the same dilemma.
Both groups of genin were on their feet, ready to celebrate their chuunin's possible victory. Yoshi stretched out her hand with her chopsticks, but past her bowl – and at Miharu's. With a last ditch effort, she pushed her rival's bowl out of the way.
Yoshi … thank you. Miharu gave Yoshi a smile before hitting the table with her knee, knocking the bowls in the air. A noddle managed to fly out of a bowl, and Miharu began to lean back in her seat, preparing to catch the noodle. With a satisfied gulp, she proudly slumped over the table, then let out a healthy belch.
"VICTORY!" her genin shouted in triumph.
"Wait a second." Natsumi said. "Didn't our sensei have different looking bowls?"
"Huh? Should it matter?" Ayumi asked. "Miharu-sensei got the last bite."
Yoshi lifted herself, then examined both bowls, putting them both on the table.
"Mine is empty." she said. "What exactly does that mean?"
"It means this." Miharu said, picking up the noodle and stuffing it into Yoshi's mouth. "We're still even."
"No you aren't." Ayumi said. "You finished a bowl. You win."
"Ayumi, you're wrong." Natsumi countered. "Although Miharu finished, she ate out of the wrong bowl. It's more of a tie either way."
"Whatever." Ayumi rolled her eyes. "Miharu is better, and smarter too."
"Please, if Miharu were smarter, why didn't she pay attemtion to which bowl she was eating out of?"
"Well, it would have never happened if Yoshi didn't try something as cheap as trying to knock Miharu's bowl away."
Both Ayumi and Natsumi gave each other the evil eye, sizing each other up.
"Yoshi…" the chuunin looked up to see the small young woman at the door of the restaurant.
"Kimiko, what's wrong?" she asked. Kimiko began sobbing, kneeling down before Miharu raced to help her up.
Kimiko ... you can mourn later…
With those words, Kimiko stood to her feet.
"Shizuna is – we need to kill a demon…" she gasped before rushing out of the shop.
- - -
"Karadazuba. The silent demon?" Kichiro said, looking down. His genin looked at he and Taiki with faces of concern.
"Minako, Ichiro, Kasumi. Stay here and out of danger." He told them. "This thing is very dangerous. We have to stop it quickly."
He and Taiki left the building to tell other higher class ninja.
- - -
"Dead? That means…" Kaito said, looking outside.
"Yes, get ready." Miharu said, leaving.
- - -
Four ANBU members appeared behind the Fifth, awaiting orders.
"Form a border around the village. We should have enough shinobi to deal with this demon." Tsunade said. The four gave a nod before vanishing.
This shouldn't be a problem. This is a low-class demon. Tsunade thought, pressing the young girl's forehead, which was burning.
Slowly but surely, Shizuna started to move. She sat up, her eyes shut tight. Tsunade was taken back. Wasn't this girl supposed to be dead?
"Shi – " the girl grasped Tsunade's hand, breathing hard.
She's…
"Tsuna … Tsu …"
… still fighting?
- - -
Saraidenn sat by her bedroom window, looking outside as the sky seemed to be turning … red?
"Sarai…" Michiya appeared at her little sisters' door. "We have to stay here. Mom and Dad were talking to Taiki, and it seems there could be a demon about to attack the city."
"A demon?" Sarai felt her body go numb and she didn't try to move. The thought of coming face to face with a demon wasn't something she was trained for.
- - -
"Tsunade … Tsunade." She whispered. She began to move out of the bed, but fell, bracing herself with her knees and hands. She crawled slowly along the cold floor. The Hokage shuddered, not sure of what to do.
"Please … Kentoru … village … Thunder … kill. Silent Demon …" she gapsed, and with that Tsunade was more than sure – Shizuna wasn't coming back. But within a few seconds, a demon would make it's entrance.
The shell of Shizuna began to crack and break in theback area. A light poured out, and within a minute, the demon leapt out. It was a red skinned demon standing on two legs at about six feet tall. It had claws with black markings on the palms of its hands. It didn't drool or make any sound. It looked at Tsunade with a impassive stare before jumping out of the window.
It must be going back. … shinobi of Konoha … show your spirit.
- - -
Taiki listened as Taru hovered overhead screeching wildly. Taiki felt his heartbeat, nearly shaking his entire body. In a flash a red demon was upon him.
I can't sense this thing …
Taiki backed up, forming hand seals, with Kichiro forming them as well.
"Illumination No Jutsu!" Taiki closed his eyes, the image of the demon still with him. A blue aura seemed to be surrounding it, a sign of silence.
"Kichiro … this thing won't make any noise. It's pretty fast and the markings on its hand allows it to act and think freely on its own and have control over its actions. This isn't some savage, mindless beast." Taiki informed Kichiro.
"Gotcha. This should slow him down though." Kichiro finished his hand seals. "Hand of the Earth!"
A large hand shook the earth beneath the demon, who leapt high in the air. Kichiro formed more hand seals.
Right into my trap …
"Wind Sphere No Jutsu!" Karudazaba was frozen in midair, being caught in a ball of wind. Kichiro clasped his hands together, and the wind spun faster and faster, spinning the contents as well.
"This thing is tough. Usually whatever is caught in is ripped to shreds. This demon won't die so easily." He said, still keeping his hands clasped.
"I'll help out." Taiki formed hand seals, but felt a presence approaching fast. He looked up to see a figure, which was obscured by the combination of sunlight and the transparent red wall. The lanky figure formed hand seals, and the air began to crystallize, and form a nasty icicle which impaled the spinning sphere – and Karudazuba.
With a crunch the demon hit the ground, and in an instant, three ANBU members took away the downed corpse, and in its place was a the figure.
"Kakashi?" Kichiro asked. He gave the duo a smile – well his eye showed it.
"I remember that demonfrom before. And I know that most demons hate cold type jutsus. Demons of this low a class are used in sealing assignments for apprentices, usually of high ranking academy officers." He said, looking down at the broken ice fragments and marks on the ground.
"Well, let's get this cleaned." He laughed bit, rubbing his white hair. "There's a Chuunin Exam tomorrow, isn't there?"
fin
Author's Note: Well, that's it for the first phase. Sorry for the disappointing fight. Hopefully I can make up for it next time!