Chapter 4, Part 2

Moroku Versus Sokaru

Sokaru leapt upwards to the arched root rising out of the ground, where Moroku was standing shyly. Wind rippling his face, Sokaru's discontented face gave away his thoughts," How does a mama's boy, not even bothering to fight, hope to get a bell?"

Sokaru aim a right punch at the kid and was surprised that the boy let it connect with his right cheek. The instructor's respect lowered even farther as Moroku fell off of the back of the root and plummeted to earth.

However, to Sokaru's stunned persona, Moroku's body disappeared mid-fall in a poof of smoke. The old sensei landed crouched on the root, thinking to himself," Ah, a shadow doppelganger. In that case, I expect he will try to-"

Pssssssssssssssssssssthp!

A shuriken barrage from his right sent the Sokaru leaping once again, this time landing on a higher root. From this vantage point he could see the real Moroku standing with his sash billowing in the wind on a separate root. The genin had a kunai held in his left hand and a pair of shuriken in the other. But his small face still was unchallenging, undetermined, and ashamed.

Sokaru couldn't help himself," Hey, mama's boy! Would you cut the crap and fight!"

Moroku gave a weak shake of the head.

In the back of the instructor's head he briefly recalled a section of text from the Training Guide," The use of weapons is strongly discouraged. This is not target practice for you; it is the student's opportunity to test their steel against a jounin. This session should an entirely defensive battle on the instructor's part. We repeat-"

"One couldn't hurt." Growled Sokaru under his breath and he hurled a kunai at Moroku.

The projectile whistled through the air. Sokaru watched as Moroku's sash rippled and grew, covering his body in silk. The kunai continued into the flurry of fabric. It passed over and around the cloth, not cutting. It passed unabated directly through Moroku's prone position within the whipping sash and continued on.

Sokaru cocked an eyebrow," Huh? How did that blade not cut the fabric, let alone hit him?"

The blood red sash went limb from its frivolous action and fell down to reveal Moroku, standing and his eyes averted. He nervously itched his arms as he waited for Sokaru to say something," I hope he isn't mad."

Moroku shook his head and thought in the far back of his head," Hell with that! Bring it on old man!"

Moroku grinned and looked back up at Sokaru. But the sensei was no longer there, the larger root he had been standing on lye empty. Moroku started to panic, his enemy was close and he was in the open.

"Time to move!"

Sokaru watched from above as the sash again enveloped the young genin and dashed off with its owner hidden inside, bouncing from tree to tree. He observed as Moroku fled, somehow able to totally conceal himself within that magical scarf of his.

His calculations proved correct," He is focusing chakra into that garment, allowing him to move it to his whim. By doing that, it gives the item of clothing an illusion of life and intelligence."

Moroku was moving quickly, trying to put as much distance between the unseen instructor and himself. From within his sash he thought he saw a black shadow move to his left. It vaguely reminded him of a certain lightning fast individual that had beaten the snot out of a certain stuck-up Kaguya not a day ago. Only one genin in the world could move that fast.

"Rasha?"

SMACK!

Moroku, not looking where he had been going, had run directly into Sokaru. Standing on a wide root with his one hand on his hip, the sensei looked down at the stunned boy. Moroku's wide eyes stared up into the cold green eyes of Sokaru as the sensei said casually," Going somewhere?"

Chink!

The sash had, Moroku thought, covered his left hand well enough to hide the kunai. He had drawn it as fast a possible and swept upwards at Sokaru's large torso only to clash with Sokaru's own kunai. They held their blades together, each trying to push the others' away.

Moroku ground his teeth as he exerted all his strength on his left hand, pushing with all his might at the kunai. But Sokaru's arm was steady and toned and easily shoved the boy away and off of the branch. The genin fell backwards over the high root and was immediately covered again by his sash.

Sokaru dived after him headfirst downwards, following the large tail of silk. On the way to the ground several shuriken flew from within the folds of cloth, embedding themselves in the bark close to the sensei. Whenever the instructor drew close enough the two would clash kunai in a bright spark of metal before parting and continuing down.

Finally the two landed back in the clearing. Moroku's crimson sash flowing around his body as Sokaru lazily itched his nose, waiting.

"You walk differently than you run." Noted Moroku, his breathing heavy.

"Brilliant Holmes." Mocked Sokaru, trying his hardest to get a rise out of the shy boy," Shall we finish this?"

Moroku slowly nodded and leapt at the jounin, a kunai held reverse in his dominant left hand. A front kick landed in the center of his chest and jolted him ten feet backwards before disappearing in a poof of smoke.

Sokaru spun and caught a right hook in his hand that had come from behind him. Moroku's stunned eyes met his own, as he smiled," Caught ya."

He knocked the wind from the boy with a driving knee to the gut. Moroku doubled over as Sokaru spun to his right. Using his body he threw the genin away like a used rag. The boy slammed viciously into an already dented tree root before crashing down to the ground. The still unconscious body of Genji, his giant sword lying beside the two, broke his fall.

Sokaru dusted off his button-less vest. He ambled over to a root and sat down as he brought out his stopwatch.

"One hour left. The last one should be along any second."

But his estimations proved wrong this time. Rasha, if that was his name, did not show his pale face. Ten whole minutes passed before Sokaru started to worry, as worse and worse ideas began to pass through his head. The longer he sat, the more concerned he became.

"What if he was attacked by one of the giant wolves? They usually aren't out now, but it is possible. Or maybe he got caught in a hunting trap and lost a leg." He was getting nervous," If I let one of my students die on my first assignment, I'm through! They would exile me from a the village."

"Or worse, they might demote me back to a chuunin!"

That last one did it.

Sokaru stood up and looked back down at the two unconscious genin," Don't go anywhere."

With that he dashed off into the forest to search for the third member of second squad. As he leapt into the blackness he did not notice the shadow that passed over the treetops. The bodies of Genji and Moroku had disappeared before the instructor had even faded out of sight. The clearing was left empty as the light breeze died. Giant leafs floated to earth as a pair of sharp eyes watched the sensei leave.

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And there we go. If anyone is wondering, I got the idea of Moroku's sash from a combination of Gaara, Vincent (from final fantasy advent children), and Spawn. Though it is not quite as powerful, it is indeed one of the most distinguishing features of the boy.

Plus, Moroku is kind of like two people. But not like Sakura! He is just shy around people, but I intend to bring out his more hardcore "go-get-them" attitude over time. It just appears in flashes, like today.

I hope you guys like where and how this is going. I promise not to make them gods.

Thanks for playing along, Rasha