True to form, Toma sauntered into the arena, hands in his pockets, doning his signature cheesy grin. This was before the adjudicator had called out his name, but Toma just looked up at the audience. It did little to entice a crowd that was already rumbling, eager for a flashy display, but Toma paid them no heed. Instead, he waited patiently waiting for his opponent in the centre with the frowning proctor who would be refereeing his match. The man in question was a towering presence in their suddenly claustrophobic alcove, one of the medic shinobi whispering and grinning to his back. Nishira would bet that this shinobi was the sure bet to win with the bookies. His stark stature was surely impressive and his face a strict and severe shape and expression. His square cut jaw and sharp nose, barely softened with deep chiseled cheeks, would be less unattractive if he wasn't so very well built. His muscled arms remained crossed across the expanse of his chest. He wore little else in terms of equipment, and based on his physique, Nishira supposed he'd be a taijutsu user. Compared to Toma's more elusive mischief, Nishira thought he would have a decent fight, but nothing her teammate couldn't handle.

Sticking to the rules, Sujini, Toma's opponent, waited obediently until his name was called. He strutted out, with his puffed-up chest covered in a black shirt, his arms bare to display his every rippling muscle. He glared at Toma, who just kept smiling and greeted him with a loose shrug. The proctor stood between them, spoke some words about sportsmanship that couldn't be hear from where the other fighters stood, and with a swung of his arm downwards, the fight had begun. The crowd cheering for their first taste of the final task. Sujini immediately threw his balled fist towards his smaller opponent, wanting to gain the advantage. Toma slipped into a dark shadow he made without moving a muscle and reappeared twenty feet away and gave a small wave.

"Goddammit Toma! Take this seriously." Sekawa shouted, deafening Nishira next to her as she shook her fist with great vigor.

T oma sent a flirty wink her way, but the move was careless as Sujini was up on him within heartbeats, with such incredible speed Nishira hadn't even seen him move. Toma moved to avoid a kick, slipping again into the shadows to get away. He reappeared below the audience and looked around to see his powerful opponent. Not seeing him until a shadow above him clued him in.
Combination Barrage!
Sujini held his hands together, and his foot glowed with a copper-coloured hue and behind it replicated ten times as though moving in slow motion. Toma put up his hands.
Ultimate Shadow Barrier!
Sujini's foot and the following ten blows bounced off a black barrier that erupted creating a full circle around him.

"He's using that justsu already?" Sekawa's voice pitched up in panic. Nishira touched her arm in a reassuring gesture, careful of Sekawa's dangerously clenched fist.
"Have faith, he'll get it."
"No, you don't understand. It's a great jutsu and can deflect almost anything, but he's blind in it. It makes coming out of the barrier harder because you can't see where the opponent is."
Nishira looked back out, seeing Sujini pace around the orb with a deliberate and disciplined patience trying to examine it for weaknesses. Nishira felt a pang in her belly of worry for Toma, her assured confidence beginning to wane.

Toma dropped the barrier and was gone almost as soon as it had completely disappeared, trying to force some space between himself and his burly opponent. Toma's frown was evident even from their sight as he reappeared, Sujini already following him closely. Sekawa chewed at the edge of her thumbnail, watching as they leapt around the arena. The crowd above them restless for action instead of the illusive pursuit. When Sujini stopped in the middle of the arena he called to his opponent, with a stomp of one boot firmly onto the ground.
"COME ON OUT AND FIGHT, YOU COWARD!"
Toma stopped and shrugged.
"Why would I stop when this is working by tiring you out."
The man chuckled, and Nishira tilted her head in suspicion. Toma frowned at the arrogant grin that spread across Sujini's face as he completed hand formations and pressing them into the dirt beside his boot.
Bronze Titan Fall!
Toma startled as the earth below him trembled, the ground shaking with a sharp crunch. From the arena stands the gasps of the frightened crowd could be heard above the din. Sekawa reached out to grab Nishira, a glass tumbling from the table shattered on the unforgiving stone floor. It continued until the earth below Toma's feet split. Fading from there as soon as something began lifting him up, the curved back of a monstrous golem straightened out overlooking the arena. The bronzed golem shone, reflecting the sunlight and looked down menacingly even if it had no facial features to speak of. Toma gulped as a mechanical hand reached out to grab him, but his room to evade his opponent had been significantly reduced. The fist made contact with the ground, rattling all within the arena walls as its movement punched into the ground leaving a sizeable crater. Toma began appearing around the giant golem, hiding behind joints and the body, appearing to see if the creature had a blind spot all the while evading its deft attempts to grab him.

Sujini simply laughed, watching with smug pride as his summoned golem followed Toma around the arena. The tiny man bobbed and weaved through the small amount of foliage and only moved to dodge the monstrous metal hands that swiped at him.
"What's the matter now, Toma. Stuck? Let me fix that."
Sujini lowered himself before launching off his feet, aiming to land right for where Toma reappeared behind the golem's neck. His fist connecting with Toma's jaw, sending him hurtling to the ground, bumping along as his body was helpless to stop the momentum.

Sekawa started to go to him, only stopping when Nishira's hand caught her wrist.
"He'll be okay. Look."
Toma stood up shakily, dirt imprinted on the side of his face, a trickle of blood escaping his lip. Sujini laughed, but Toma gave a small and worn chuckle before wiping his chin with his sleeve. Sujini paused, squinting his hard eyes with suspicion.
"Sujini, I wasn't just running away from your bronze dude. I was actually doing something a whole lot more productive."
Sujini whipped his gaze from Toma to the golem, and as the golem reached out to grab Toma, his arm fell off from the shoulder clattering to the ground in with an earth trembling gravity. As the golem tried to move the other arm, it too began to fall from the main body to the ground. As the creature turned to look at the fallen limb, its torso began to tilt forward heading towards Sujini, the head toppling off last. The bronzed human like head rolled towards him, but Sujini managed to move out of the way with his impressive momentum, before crashing into the stone arena wall, imbedding into the structure, cracks snaked outwards from the makeshift bronze wrecking ball. Toma stepped, reappearing behind Sujini.
"My turn, Sujini."
Sujini's eyes widened as his opponent began weaving signs, booking it away from Toma as around him darkened shadows grew and pulsed in a rhythm like a heartbeat, beginning to wrap up the caster. Toma's face lit only by a small light that gleamed off the whites of his widened eyes. Sujini could not remove his gaze from Toma's, speeding off to try and gain the upper hand once more. His movements took him farther and farther away and only stopped as he stepped into a dark shadow, unseen from his vision being fixed firmly on Toma. In a blip of weightless nothingness, he disappeared from the arena. Toma stood up straight, crossing his arms with an impish grin. The crowd held itself silently as all eyes scanned looking for the opponent who had summoned such a giant behemoth of a creature only moments ago, the discarded carcass still lay over half the arena. Sekawa and Nishira also searched, their eyes trying to spot the man who could move across the whole place in a blink of an eye, losing track of Sujini could mean plenty of missed action. But Toma just lifted his hand to the adjudicator.
"Going out of arena bounds disqualifies you, yes?"
The adjudicator frowned but nodded, Toma just pointed above the arena where the spectators turned to see where he was point. In front of the top row, an area that held shade from the sun and protected the guests of honour, three Kages, Konoha, Suna, and Iwa stood, and a shadow appeared before them, spitting out Sujini who rolled limply in front of them, streaked in mysterious black markings covering the majority of his body. Sujini blinked his glazed eyes a couple of times before realizing where he was, recognizing the deep frown from his village leader. He cowed before the old man who was barely taller than Sujini laying down.

The proctor let out a pleased chortle before calling to the crowd.
"Kajeoki Sujini has been disqualified for leaving the arena space, Nara Toma is the winner of this match."

In a mix of cheers and boos, Toma sauntered back over to his team. Sekawa launching herself into his arms, laughing. Hibi came over, giving him a hearty slap on the back.
"You sneaky bastard!"
"Not going to lie, he almost had me there. Um yes," he pointed to the medical shinobi that stood nearby. "I could use some help, please."

Toma limped over towards them to have them check him out. Sekawa's mood went from overjoyed to anxious despair in a dramatic swing as the next set of names were called, neither of which was hers.
"Kawa, what's wrong?"
"Nothing, just a little stage fright. That's all."
"You? Anxious? Never!"
Sekawa moved to swat Nishira, missing completely.
"Hey, hey, hit the other guy, not me."
Nishira laughed, but she couldn't deny the tickling feeling in her belly of fear and dread as her turn moved a round closer. None of team twenty-two watched the following match, turning away to focus on calming themselves and each other, despite the temptation of a loud cheer, or collective wince of something painful happening. They didn't even turn around as they heard a proctor forcibly stepping in and separating them, for reasons completely unknown to them. Sekawa stood as some hired hands went to clear the grounds in preparation for the next match. She looked to Toma who gave her a thumbs up with an ice pack pressed his jaw, and down to Nishira.
"Well guys, it's now or never."

Sekawa stood at the precipice of the entry way, all evidence of nerves vanished as she stood in the cut out, hands firmly on her hips. Nishira caught wisps of muttering in her ears, interrupted by a low chuckle from Toma at her side. Nishira turned to her victorious teammate.
"What?"
Toma's eyes sparkled with knowing.
"This is her thing. Whenever she is about to do something that scares the pants off of her, Sekawa will stand like that and repeat her mantra. She says it every time she does a pinup shoot or show. Something about bolstering her self esteem."
"Wait what?"
"Yeah she's totally nervous!"
Nishira shook her head.
"No, pinup shoot?"
"Oh yeah!"
The grin spread wider as he reached for the pack on his hip pocket. From it he pulled a photograph, the edges worn from handling and a crooked bend from being stored in a soft bag, despite being protected by a clear case. The photo brought an instant blush to Nishira's face. The sultry painted face of Sekawa looked to the viewer, painted mouth half parted, glancing with half lidded eyes over her bare shoulder, the loose velvety strap of what could barely be called a garment accentuated every curve. But what drew Nishira's gaze and keeping it prisoner was the bare globes of her ass, highlighted and on display in its perfectly rounded glory.
"Um, uh-"
"Yeah, she does that. Her stage name is Lady Divine. She used to do shows in the capital once in a while, but she did it mostly to help her confidence. Isn't she amazing."
Nishira looked up to see Toma gaze at the photo, but he wasn't leering. Instead, his eyes shone with adoration at the photo, pride evident in the way his mouth was set in a line. Nishira couldn't help the small smile that crept from being in the presence of his affections. She turned to the woman in question who stepped from her powerful stance, ready for the battle ahead.

Sekawa came out clutching her naginata in one hand and the kama in the other just like during the cave. She took her place opposite her opponent, a sand shinobi from Sunagakure. Hadaame Urataka had done the chunin exam once before, Kabuto's cards had been a little helpful, but he hadn't made it past the second task, so knowledge was limited. Sekawa had not been reassured by this, always making plan b, c, d through to z for whatever mission they had. Nishira couldn't recall a time she didn't use weapons and taijutsu. She was not the strongest wielder of chakra and that insecurity showed in her raised and clenched shoulders, brave face with eyes that flicked a little too much. Nishira clasped her hands almost in a prayer as her opponent stepped out.

He was a small boy, barely fifteen. His tan coloured poncho reached almost to his knees, leading to deep mauve pants that showed how skinny his legs were. He came forward, a deep frown on his face. Sekawa held out her hand for a friendly shake, but he refused as the proctor restated all his rules. They backed away from each other way, keeping their eyes trained on the other. Sekawa gave him a nod as the proctor brought his arm down as a starting signal. But neither moved.
"Good to see you, Sekawa. Although its sad you made it this far and won't be making it to chunin again."
Sekawa frowned.
"I know you're trying to trash talk me but lets just start already. It's already embarrassing I have to fight a child."
The kid smirked.
"Well, if you passed when you were supposed to, you wouldn't have to fight kids."

Nishira saw Sekawa's fist curl into a fist, she shook her head, trying to will Sekawa to see through the bait, but it was all up to her teammate now.

"Listen here you brat!"
But the kid looked around, with a yawn at whatever insult Sekawa hurled, twirling his hand in a dismissive motion. Oblivious to the whispers of the crowd, Sekawa shook her clenched fist at him.
"YOU'LL LISTEN TO YOUR ELDERS YOU STUPID CHILD BEFORE I BEAT YOUR ASS!" Nishira full on face palmed, she was gone.

Urataka looked back with a sneer, twirling his hand more until it became obvious it was a jutsu being worked. Sekawa felt the heat from the sun disappear as it darkened above her, she looked up to see a swirling cloud of sand hovering above her.
Sand Coil!
The inner part of the swirl began to fall, centering on Sekawa. She rolled from it and ran as the coil came down with a heavy thud before sifting back into the earth.
"YOU LITTLE SHIT! I'LL GET YOU FOR THAT!"
The child bobbed and weaved as from the dust that had risen from the invasion of the sand onto the ground, several whistling tones indicated the throwing of projectiles. In a sequential rhythm that pounded too fast to be blocked, whirling stars, axes, swords of many lengths, and many more flew from the blockade following Urataka as he easily avoided all of it, nimbly jumping and moving around them, with a sparkle in his eye. The stars just landed their sharp edges into the ground or bounced off harder surfaces with a sharp ping. His feet planted halfway up the tall wall that surrounded the arena, arms crossed in triumph.
"Is that all you have, old lady?"
"OLD LADY?!"
Following him farther came a raining barrage of kunai knives with pieces of paper attached to the handle, flapping in the disrupted air. Small explosions followed Urataka as his avoided them, a little harder this time, but still manageable. He landed with an even bigger smirk.
"This is so much easier than I thought it would be, I thought you were supposed to be some genius. Lion Burst!"

From the ground came three animals sculpted of sand, they shook the sand off their haunches before growling. Three sandy coloured lions prowled, focused on Sekawa who was now visible as the dust had settled. Without prompting they came for her. Sekawa threw her kama at the front lion, slowing it down as it partially disintegrating, taking a moment to reform itself and continue its assault. Meanwhile, she used both hands to grip her naginata and defend herself from their claws that glittered from the glass they were made of. The pole weapon twirled in her expert hands as she backed them all away, while Urataka giggled with glee. In between swinging it, Urataka easily bobbed and weaved as more projectiles came at her.

Nishira hadn't realized she'd jumped to her feet to watch an impressive display of a dance. Sekawa moved not only ward off the three feline attackers but still move to target her opponent. Barely noticeable was the kunai with wire attached to it, anticipating where Urataka was heading. Once realizing the one blade was coming for him, he stopped short, but the edge of the blade was able to slice his forearm lifted to defend himself, leaving a huge gash in the poncho. He ran the other way, but another kunai flew past him with wire attached to it, not able to wrap him, but the strap that held his ceramic shin guard on the back of his calf was clipped, and the piece of armour clattered to the ground. Sekawa took the naginata and slashed through all three lions with one swoop attack and while they reformed, she placed her hands together in hand signs, two pieces of wire gripped between her teeth.
"Urataka, you're going to lose."
Bright Thunder Surge!
With three bright lightning strikes, the lions all formed into glass mid lunge for their target, the ferocious snarling faces immortalized in the clear material that sparkled. From her teeth, the bright blue energy of lightning followed the wires towards Urataka who looked over his shoulder to see the knives imbedded into the seams between stone slabs, creating a net of deep humming energy that crackled. Urataka looked from each side to see if he was completely trapped, but before he could react, she stomped her sandaled foot and the ground, the sand that Urataka had laid around them crackled and became glass that exploded, sending sharp shards of hot glass in all directions, forcing Urataka up to stand on the wall like he had before when taunting his opponent.
"Is that it, old maid? You couldn't catch me in the net. Admit it, you're done."
Despite the bravado, it was clear that a lick of fear crept into his voice, shaking the words ever so slightly, his eyes beginning to glisten as though tears could well up at any time. Sekawa just grinned, wires still whining in her teeth. Urataka gulped involuntarily. Sekawa clapped and as she did, all the weapons she'd thrown earlier rose from the ground, and they sparked and pointed at him.
"Want to see if you can dodge them again this time, Urataka? Or do you give up."
He frowned, the bravado overriding any sense he had. His face frowned openly, and as he opened his trap to mouth off at his opponent again, Sekawa sent the tools flying at him. A high-pitched pained scream echoed over the mountain, echoing retorts coming at intervals until it bled into the air. Nishira stood at the entrance of the alcove, as the crowd stood to see the results, eager to know if Urataka still lived, or if his offending words had sealed his death. As the dust settled, Urataka was completely pinned to the wall, an outline of him from his clothes was pinned to the stone slab and one sword hovered in front of his face, Urataka's eyes squeezed closed in fear. As he opened his eyes to be face to face with a sizzling blade, blackened from the energy coursing through it, he hung his head in defeat.

The proctor came forward and raised Sekawa's hand to the crowd. The response was a thunderous roaring of excitement. Nishira placed both hands to her head uselessly to try and block the sound out, but it prevailed. Sekawa let go of his hand and ran around, both hands clenched in fists, screaming her victory roar. She spotted Toma standing next to Nishira and ran towards him arms outstretched. He opened his to receive it and managed to keep his balance as the momentum made them both stumble as they collided. Toma swung her around, her legs swinging out almost knocking Nishira over.

Sekawa jumped off and ran to Urataka who had been helped down from his pinned state from the Proctor. Sekawa held out her hand to her beaten opponent. He sneered at the gesture and spit at her. She simply wiped it off and turned to walk towards her comrades, limping but smiling. Toma held open arms for her and Hibi hopped for joy. Nishira offered a friendly smile and clapped, but a movement behind Sekawa drew her attention. Urataka, scowling at his opponent's back, reached into his pocket, and the glint of the black kunai drew Nishira's attention as he stood. He wobbled slightly before rearing his arm to throw it at her, while the proctor's back was turned.

Nishira leapt and made the sign of the rooster, disappearing into the air. When she emerged with the momentum from the jump, her knee connected to the young man's nose driving him back onto the ground. Her left hand snagged the kunai from midair, and she spun it and held it with both hands above her head. The two of them landed on the ground with a heavy thud, Nishira pinning his shoulders with her knees. Iwa shinobi officials appeared a blink slower attempting to stop Urataka, whose blood streamed porously down his face from the broken nose concaved into his face, his eyes shut as he lost consciousness. Nishira moved to drive the kunai taking his life for his indiscretion when a firm hand grabbed her forearm interrupting the move. She looked up to see Hibi's normally cheerful face in a pointed look, eyes searching hers, but beneath it, Nishira sensed a small amount of glee. Nishira relaxed into the iron grip and lowered the kunai. She turned looking back at the man under her. He was only a kid with the first inklings of facial hair appearing on his developing chin.

Stiffly, Nishira stood and looked at the officials who backed up to give her space. She threw the kunai to the ground next to him and walked away from the silence that met her from the Iwa shinobi standing as protection around the arena from spectator interference and the wild screams from the blood thirsty crowd eager for more blood. Hibi led her back to the side where her teammates stood. Amidst the action, Toma had shoved Sekawa behind him to shield her, Sekawa looking bewildered from being so unceremoniously yanked, but back to her opponent who lay bloodied on the ground.

As the two of them went back to sit down without exchanging any words with Nishira, Hibi draped her arm over her student's shoulders.
"That? That was amazing. Look at him," she pointed to Nishira's opponent who looked steely as ever. "He's shaking in his boots. Unleash it, Nishi, go wild. This is the time and place to put everyone who ever thought you were a dunce in their place."
As the Tsuchikage struggled to quiet the crowd to announce the last match of the day, Kakashi appeared beside her elbow. Nishira looked to him to say something, but there was suspicion plain on his face. She looked back to Hibi, who gave her a wink. Nishira turned to leave the area to get ready to fight when Kakashi grabbed her shoulder.
"Wait, Nishira."
She obediently turned to him, as his free eye searched her face.
"Don't forget your humanity out there."
She frowned, unsure of the cryptic words, before giving an obligatory nod and turning back. She stretched her neck to each side, pulling her arms to the side to limber them up, until the proctor waved at them despite no break in the noise from the crowd.
"Here we go."