Naruto DX
Chapter 2
"Right. Let's go. We have a full day ahead of us." Neji nodded to them, taking a step back.
"Bad ass. C'mon Matt, move your a--eh?" Ryan had thrown his hand back to push Matt off the edge of the roof as punishment for sitting on the edge of the roof, but upon hitting air Ryan glanced back to see that the boy was gone. "...Grr. I hate that guy so much." But the distracting boy just sighed and jumped onto his feet. "Alright 'special ed', let's get moving. I'm aching to show off some ninja skills." Ryan stuck his hands in his pockets and began moving across the rooftop. But Neji moved the other direction instead, stepping in front of Tio and kneeling down.
"Would you like some help, Tio?"
Ryan slowed to a stop, and glanced back at the two. "...?"
Tio nodded, picking up the laptop beside him and stashing it away within his kimono. "Yes. Thank you, Neji-sensei." He watched as his senei turned away, taking the same kneeling position but offering his back to the boy instead. Tio leaned forward, arms extended. The boy let himself slip off the chair without even attempting to stand. Ryan's eyes widened a little, but his worry was in vein. The boy caught onto their sensei's neck and held on tightly. Neji's arms looped around Tio's motionless legs and straightened. Then he began his walk across the rooftop, passing the momentarily stunned Ryan as he made his way to the stairwell.
"Don't worry, Neji-sensei. You wont have to do this anymore." Ryan's ear caught as the two began slowly down the stairs.
"It's no problem, Tio. Assisting my pupils is never a burden."
"I know, but I'll take every opportunity I can to practice moving on my own."
Ryan just blinked toward the stairs, mouth hanging a bit open. He took a step back, then rubbed his eyes with his palms. So that kid...? His legs were...? But he still became a...? ...Maybe he can make shit vanish or something. Ryan shook that particular thought off and walked slowly after the two. Why couldn't he be paired up with normal people?
Their sensei made his way out of the village, walking through the outer rim of the forest where the tree density was not so thick. They made their way to a large clearing within the trees, Neji setting Tio down near the edge of that clearing. While Tio quickly pulled his own legs into a forced Indian-position the sensei turned to the other boy that had followed them.
"Now we can begin training."
Ryan frowned. "What? But Matt's not even here. Dunno where he's gone to..."
"What will we be doing, sensei?" Came a voice behind Ryan. This caused the redhead to jump and swivel around in battle position.
"...! You?! Damn it! Bell! Bell! Lest I smite thee!" He growled, glaring at Matt.
"We'll be doing a fairly simple exercise." Neji began, ignoring the obnoxious threats. "It will not only increase familiarity amongst each other, but it will give me a fair indication of your skills. One-on-one sparring."
"...Hmph. Sparring, eh?" Ryan relaxed a little, shifting his shoulders as he stepped away from Matt. "Sounds like the perfect chance hand out some whats-comin'-to-you!" He pointed a menacing finger at the aforementioned boy.
"So what will be the first pairing?" Matt just crossed his arms, ignoring Ryan entirely.
"Hey!"
Neji took a seat on the ground beside Tio in a similar sitting position. He held a slight, but troubling smile. "You two, I think will be fine. Ryan Hatsuen and Matthew Keisotsu. You two know the basic rules of engagement from academy training. There will obviously be no killing, but I also want serious injuries avoided at all costs. Understand?"
"...Yes."
"We shall see." Ryan's eyes narrowed.
Neji laughed a little, shaking his head at the boys. "This should be engaging. Begin."
Matt immediately back-flipped onto his hands, then sprung himself several feet into the air above Ryan. Both his hands retracted to his waist, then suddenly shot forward and released a rain of ten shuriken than spiraled toward the redhead in a very killing manner.
"Ah!" Ryan turned, running for a few seconds before he was forced to dive out of the trajectory of the shurikens. The tenth one hit the ground just beside his leg. Ryan rolled himself onto his back and slightly off the ground with his elbows. "Hey! The sensei said no-- Ahh!" His eyes shut tightly, and two kunai planted themselves firmly on eaith side of his head, just inches from his face.
" ...n-NO KILLING or serious INJURIES, ASS!"
Matt landed on the ground with grace, crossing his arms. He wore the first smile that they've seen out of him, though it was more along the lines of an ego-driven smirk. "I did not throw one weapon toward a fatal point. As for serious injuries... it's your responsibility to avoid them, not mine to prevent them."
Ryan's scowl deepened, jumping to his feet and cracking his fingers. "Oh you're asking for it, kid. This shit's just bumped up to epic. Now lets get serious!" He put his hands together, forming quick seals. Four replications of himself appeared in a line, all grinning. Then they all ran toward Matt at once, moving in different zig-zag formations to mix themselves up. Matt took a step back, but didn't seem phased. His hand reached back, then he threw five shuriken and dashed forward after the weapons.
Easily deciphered, even by Ryan's standards. The shuriken would hit each of him, eventually weeding out the real one by making him dodge. Then Matt would take the opportunity to immediately strike and end it. But...
The shuriken hit all five targets... and all five targets bursts into puffs of smoke, leaving behind five impaled stumps. Matt stopped on a dime. They couldn't possibly be shadow clones...He looked around for a split second, confused, but then suddenly turned reaching for a kunai. Not enough time even for him, because as he turned he was met with a roundhouse kick across the head that sent the genin flying several feet and hitting the ground hard. Ryan grinned widely, putting his hands on his waist and blowing a raspberry.
"Not bad, huh? I'm pretty good with the substitution jutsu. Good enough to put in substitutions for each of my replications, even if they were only illusions."
Matt groaned, grinding his teeth as he pushed himself up to his feet slowly. He straightened, and swayed for only a second before regaining his posture. "Only barely impressive."
Ryan's eyes immediately narrowed. "My ass only barely!"
"I'll stop going easy on you now." Matt reached back slowly, and pulled out a single, slender needle.
"Bring it on, jackass. If I win, you have to wear a bell for a week!" Ryan pulled a kunai from his holster, gripping it like a dagger, his other hand in a defensive position.
Matt threw the deadly needle toward Ryan just as he was finishing his words. It made the boy dodge at the last moment, sway to the side. It caught the side of his vest near his abdomen, but didn't pierce skin. Nice aim, pfft. Ryan's attention snapped back at Matt... but the boy was gone. He blinked, then whirled around to see Matt several feet behind him, catching the same needle and throwing it yet again toward the boy. He had to sway at the last moment again, this time just barely hitting his sleeve. Another close call. Ryan anticipated this one, and whirled around. The boy was indeed there, and the needle halfway to hitting him. Pretty fast, he'll give him that. The needle was completely off that time, only ripping through his other sleeve before flying across the clearing and embedding itself deeply into a tree.
"...Hah. Nice moves, but you screwed up. Now it's my turn!" Ryan readied his kunai, then ran at Matt. The boy just stood there, seemingly waiting to intercept him. Fine by him, some close combat would be nice right about now. He drew his arm back, ready to swing... then felt a tight force wrap around him. It instantly became rigid, and forced both his arms to lock against his waist. "...Ahh! What the...?!"
"Enjoy? It's my phantom sewing maneuver. I executed it rather sloppily on you, but it still worked fine on your likes."
"Phantom sewing?!" Ryan glared, wide-eyed. What did he do? Was it a jutsu? How... Ryan looked down. Something glinted in the light... "String!"
"Right. Super-fine string used for trip-wires. It's not a combat tool, but it's pretty durable."
"You... had it tied to that needle." He muttered.
"Exactly. With each throw, I sewed the string into your clothes. And as I moved back and forth around you, I also tied it loosely around you. But I used alot of string, so you didn't quite feel it until it snagged against the tree."
"...Grr..."
"And now..." Matt drew his hand back, and hit Ryan cleanly on the cheek with his closed fist. It sent the redhead toppling back, tangling himself further into the string as he did.
"Ow! Argh...damn it..." Ryan groaned, the pain surging from the point of impact and making his entire head beat like a drum. He could hear Matt's slow footsteps get closer and closer, mind racing. He couldn't lose to this guy! But what can he do?! His arms were locked! He couldn't pull out shuriken or form seals! All he had were his legs and head...
"Admit defeat or I'll have to force you into unconsciousness." Matt stopped beside Ryan, looking down at the boy coolly.
Ryan blinked up at him, then furrowed his brows and glared harshly. "Like I force your mom into unconsciousness last night?!"
"..." He scoffed. "Fine then. Suffer more!" Matt drew his fist back, aiming down at the boy's head.
"...!! Smoke-screen jutsu!" He took a deep breath, then blew up as Matt was about to punch him. A thick puff of reddish smoke burst out of Ryan's mouth and clouded around Matt's head. It made the boy recoil, then let out a pained scream.
"Gah! ...Pepper smoke?!" He groaned, voice hoarse.
"Hell yeah, opening!" Ryan threw his legs up, rolling himself backwards onto his feet in a crouching position. "Hyah!" From the crouching position, the boy vaulted himself up off the ground. His head struck Matt squarely on the nose, sending him flying back to let out another scream. Ryan himself landed on his back, and groaned. "Argh!! My head did not need that!"
"Ahhh!" Matt hit the ground, and remained motionless, simply writhing in pain. His balance had been completely thrown off, the pepper smoke burning his eyes and throat. His breathing labored. Finished.
"Excellent! Excellent spar!" Neji smiled, clapping his hands together a few times. "I am impressed with the both of you."
"Ugh..."
"Argh..."
"The victory goes to Ryan on this one." Neji got to his feet, and walked over toward Matt.
"Whoop-tee-do...Grrr...Gah!" Ryan groaned as he pushed his arms outward with all his strength, and finally snapped the string around him. He got up to his feet, dusting off his pants. Damn he needed a Tylenol.
Neji knelt down beside Matt, and scooped him up into his arms. He carried the fallen ninja across the clearing, and set him carefully against a tree, much to the boy's disdain. The sensei then turned back toward the rest of the clearing. "Tio, It's your turn."
The boy's eyes glanced up, his attention finally caught. He looked back down at the computer on his lap, and typed something quickly, then shut the laptop and pushed it across the ground, sliding it just under an exposed root of the tree that he sat under. "Okay then, I'll do my best."
Ryan rubbed the back of his head, squinting over toward the handicapped boy in the white kimono. So this was a kid that was able to graduate and become a ninja without the use of his legs? It won't be an easy fight to say the least. He was a little tired... but he wouldn't let this guy show him up and come out to be the star of the group.
"Alright Special Ed, show me what you can do!"
End Chapter 2