Any Given Tuesday [P]

Wed Dec 08, 2021 1:10 am

Overnight, the jaws of winter closed tightly around the Village Hidden in the Leaves. A heavy frost covered the ground amplifying each step, every breath created a fleeting cloud, and the biting cold invaded even the warmest of clothes given enough time. It was a morning where anyone with half a brain would be inside with something warm to drink and good to read.

Perhaps then it only made sense that Ichika Zukumiki could be found outside and alone on one of Konohagakure's many training grounds, Training Ground 11. Sporting a black hoodie with the Uchiha emblem emblazoned on her back and a pair of baggy sweatpants to match, she finished her final lap of the morning before coming to a stop in front of a set of well-used targets. The training grounds had certainly seen better days. However, in a way, the rundown nature brought with it a small comfort, as if generations past still trained alongside the newest cohort of shinobi and kunoichi.

Chest heaving, she let out a large breath that billowed up and out into the atmosphere above. Her gazed followed the cloud up and up and up until it disappeared into nothingness only to be replaced by the next breath she took. What the genin lacked in physical endurance she made up for in mental acuity. All that remained was to bring the two onto the same level, even if the burning in her legs rebelled against the idea of continuing she knew it was the only path forward.

Alright...what's next...

Straightening her back, Ichika squared off against the targets that stood about ten meters away. Fumbling with the weapon pouch at her hip, she pulled three kunai out whose metal hilts felt like gripping an icicle in the cool morning air. Another large cloud filled the air, and the teen's eyes narrowed in concentration.

Thunk.

Thunk.

Thunk.

The sound of three kunai hitting wood carried through the quiet morning air like some poorly timed drum. Unfortunately, none of the projectiles went where the genin had hoped. One embedded itself in the target's stand, one just on the upper edge of the target, and the third just shy of the bullseye. It wasn't good enough, no matter how she tried the knives deviated from their intended course. Indeed, her consistently inconsistent weaponry woes would spell disaster in real combat, and she couldn't have that, not when her life and the lives of others were on the line.

She sighed and went to collect the kunai—practice made perfect.

---
WC: 425

Ichika's Stats:

Wed Dec 08, 2021 2:04 am

Zunair sat next to a tree in the training grounds. He hummed to a made-up rhythm even he didn't know where it was going. The sky was dark with clouds that covered it like a blanket. It looked like it was going to rain, but you could tell it wasn't. It was just a cloudy day. The mint-eyed Hyuuga stretched his hands above his head running his hands through his hair. He sported his usual attire but today he forgot to take off his white lab coat after finishing working with Anima at the hospital. He stood up and looked around, he really did need to work on his chakra some more, but some days he feels like he can't get anywhere with it. Zunair shook his head, he really did need a partner. Someone who could help him out and vice versa. Also, someone he can compete with because he's tired of sparring with his father and working with Anima. He really wanted to fight someone who had a different style than those he trained under. Zunair smiled as he walked out from underneath the tree.

He looked around the training grounds, it was empty beside him or so he thought when he heard the sound of what sounded like someone running, that's when he seemingly jumped and hid the tree and watched at a female finishing her run and then begin to start with some kunai training. He should wait till she finishes her training or should he wait for someone else he pondered. He never really thought of asking for help before. He usually likes to do things on his own, but the weird thing about it is that it somewhat makes him happy to work with people. Well, he thinks it's just the thought of him being needed when working on something. Zunair's thoughts drifted from the subject back to chakra. He knew he had excellent chakra control but what about in a fight, however, would his taijutsu and medical training come in handy? As he studied her, looking over her tiny body, black hair, and the black hoodie. What really caught his eye was the Uchiha symbol upon it. Interesting, he heard there was few Uchiha in Konoha since Viper's reign. The clan used to be nobles until they basically scattered across the region. Well, they might still be considered nobles here, he wasn't for sure. Zunair didn't consider himself noble even though he was from the main house of the Hyuuga.

Zunair smiled as it seemed the girl had finished up training on the tree as he then jumped down, flipping in the air, hopefully not startling her. "Hello there. Zunair Hyuuga here, who might you be," the mint-eyed Hyuuga stated as he sent a smile towards her. Whether not if she answered he would then continue with asking, "noticing how your kunai work is going, it might seem you need help. Well, you're in luck. I was looking for someone to spar with to see if I'm any good at fighting," Zunair smirked at her, hopeful that she would take him up on his offer.

[WC: 522]

Stats:

Thu Dec 09, 2021 2:29 pm

The unexpected crunch of frost underfoot sent a shiver down the genin's spine that the cold weather never could. Whirling around with narrowed eyes and tensed muscles, Ichika took an unconscious step back from the mint-eyed boy. He seemed harmless enough, but how long had been watching her? After all, it wasn't so much the appearance of another person on the training grounds that worried her, but rather that she hadn't seen or heard them coming before it was too late. What was all this training for if it could end without being able to put up a fight?

"Oh, well," she crossed her arms across her chest. "You shouldn't sneak up on people like that, Zunair. And what are you talking about? My kunai work is perfectly fine...my hand just slipped."

The rising blush in her typical ivory cheeks betrayed the lie before it passed her lips.

"That said, my name's Ichika," her stance softened along with her tone. "And a spar sounds good, just don't cry when I beat you."

Walking over to the center of the training grounds, the young teen clenched her fists tightly as her heart beat a steady staccato in her chest and hot adrenaline flooded her veins. Despite her bravado, she lacked much in the way of actual combat experience; the last time she'd sparred was in the academy under the watchful eyes of the instructors there. And even back then she hadn't faired all that well, losing more often than she won and ending up with more black eyes than she cared to remember—the rough and tumble of hand-to-hand combat didn't much agree with her slight frame.

Coming to a stop in the very center of the clearing, she waited for the Hyuuga to join her. Ringed by trees of varying varieties and a few low-lying bushes, the circular clearing, with a radius of fifty meters, made the perfect arena. Atop frost-licked grass and under a sky of interminable gray, the two once-noble clansmen would clash again. The very notion sounded as if it were a bedtime story brought to life by happenstance; losing wasn't an option for Ichika, the pride of the Uchiha was on the line.

"Ready when you are!"

She formed the customary seal of confrontation and took a deep breath.
---
WC: 384
TWC: 809

Thu Dec 09, 2021 5:48 pm

"Of course," Zunair said when the girl said her hand slipped; however he knew she was lying by the color of her cheeks was forming. That's when she announced her name and agreed to spar with the younger genin. "I'll try not to," he said almost sounding sarcastic in his blunt-like tone. He would then proceed to follow the girl towards the middle of the training ground. He would face towards the Uchiha standing about 20 meters from her. The mint-eyed Hyuuga would follow her words, ready when you are, with shifting in the usual Hyuuga fighting stance as his eyes would change color from the mint-colored to the dull-white with veins starting to pop from his temples towards his eyes, giving the full effects of the Byakugan.

"I am ready," he said looking at her, seeing her entire chakra network from his vision upon activating his Byakugan. However, he would then feel a tiny droplet of water hit his head. It was beginning to rain. He thought it wasn't going to rain today, but he was wrong. Oftentimes, the rain would invite bleakness. With a flash of lightning overhead, any rays of sunlight from the sky were blocked out. Instead, a torrent of water descended from the heavens above. In some ways, Zunair didn't mind the rainfall. The pitter-patter of each droplet of water, joining together with others to create this roar of background noise often served well in blocking out distractions if there was ever some. This allowed Zunair to focus on the task on hand.

He was going to strike first, that is what his father told him. Don't let the enemy get the chance to ever get the upper hand or a chance to strike at you. Following his teaching, Zunair trusted his right palm forward, "Eight Trigrams: Vacuum Palm!" he shouted as a vacuum shell shot out of his palm. Appearing as a softly blurred space at 2 meters in diameter and 4 meters in length giving him a wide area to strike at the girl, if she were able to dodge it as it would travel at her. Whether or not if she would be able to dodge the attack or deflect, he would jump in the air at 25 meters, following her movements, and announce his next attack, " Storm Senbon!" The Byakugan user shouted as he trusted his left palm forward and shoots out a vacuum projectile shaped like a sphere 10cm in diameter. As it traveled at her, the compressed vacuum sphere would break apart into 15 senbon-like vacuum needles, raining down at her. Whether or not if any of these techniques hit her, he would try and drop down to the ground and would repeat getting into his gentle fist stance.

[WC:460]
[TWC: 982]
Current Health Bar: 300
Vigor: 100
Chakra: 100 (25% AP Reduction)
Speed: 75 (+15 Reflex Speed)
Strength: 25
AP: 1,245
Byakugan -5 (25% AP Reduction)
Vacuum Palm -35(25% AP Reduction)
Storm Senbon -35(25% AP Reduction)
Total Used: -70(25%) = -53
Current AP: 1,192

Fri Dec 10, 2021 2:30 am

It started with a single drop; then one became two, two three, and three four until the drops thereafter blurred together into a deafening deluge as the sky wept in a final defiance of the coming winter. The frosted grass at the combatants' feet soon yielded into a muddy mess, while the lightning in the sky periodically bathed the soon-to-be arena in fleeting white light. If ever worse conditions existed for a clean, straightforward fight existed, then Ichika certainly didn't want to see them. This battlefield would be challenging enough for now.

Her breath still came out in hot, visible clouds.

Then, all at once, it began, like one of the lightning bolts from the sky given life. Momentarily stunned by the Hyuuga's speed, she didn't move until just as the boy's first attack left his open palm. Only then did the young teen's body move, seemingly of its own according. Strafing to the right as fast as her legs could carry her, she maintained the twenty-meter distance from Zunair while continuing her movement in an arc around him and reaching her right hand into the weapon pouch on her hip. The first cylinder of pressurized air dissipated with a pop upon reaching its maximum range, ten meters behind where Ichika originally stood.

The second attack, as quick as the first and just as ineffective, exploded in a burst of ethereal needles behind the genin, leaving the ground peppered with white-blue needles. Despite the difference in speed, the twenty-meter distance between the two teens played to Ichika's favor. Close combat, however, she feared would be a different beast altogether as it always had for the diminutive teen.

Leaving both attacks in her wake, she came to a sliding stop twenty meters from where she started and twenty meters from Zunair's left. Removing her hand from the weapon pouch on her hip revealed a kunai that glinted in the flash of another lightning strike.

"Is that the best you got?"

She stuck out her tongue for good measure.
---
WC: 337
TWC: 1146

Boring Numbers:

Fri Dec 10, 2021 5:20 am

Zunair still in his typical gentle fist stance, watched as she came to halt to his left. The rain had soaked his hair and started to weigh down his clothes. The roaring thunder shook the ground underneath his feet as the sky lit up in a flash of blinding lightning as electrical discharge crackled through the air around them. He had no reaction as she stuck her tongue out at him and asked if that is the best he's got. It appears the Uchiha clan was incapable of raising their children properly, with her mannerisms and gestures befitting an uncivilized village, Zunair thought as the younger genin observed her as she then pulled a kunai from her pouch. Maybe it's time to take this fight up close. Zunair was not at all worried about her kunai skills since his showing earlier she had been unable to hit her mark.

"Do you think a kunai will work," he said as he started slowly to shift around her as the heavy rain poured. She's good at dodging, I'll give her that; maybe it's time to let her attack, Zunair thought has he focused on her chakra network. Any technique he would use from distance, she would be sure to dodge; however, charging straight at her would leave him open for any type of attack that she would have in her personal. He needs to think about what to do next. It's time to start some psychological warfare on the girl.

"I figured someone from the prestigious Uchiha clan would be more of a fight, but it seems the only thing you can do is run around and mock other shinobi. Just like the rest of your clan. Pathetic," he almost hissed the last word. He didn't believe what he was saying, but he was for sure that that statement would make her attack him. He'll apologize later; however, he would then show an almost sadistic smile towards the girl, he was ready for whatever she would be able to throw at him.

[WC]
[TWC: 1,322]
Current Health Bar: 300
Vigor: 100
Chakra: 100 (25% AP Reduction)
Speed: 75 (+15 Reflex Speed)
Strength: 25
AP: 1,245
Byakugan -5 (25% AP Reduction)
Vacuum Palm: 1/2 Post Cooldown
Storm Senbon: 1/2 Post Cooldown
Total Used: -5(25%) = -4
Current AP: 1,188

Sat Dec 11, 2021 12:10 am

Ichika's face contorted into an animalistic snarl as a wave of self-righteous rage overtook her once coolheaded demeanor. What right did a Hyuuga of all people have to pass judgment on the clan that made Konohagakure what it was? For all their supposed visual prowess, the ghost-eyes lacked vision.

"Take that back!"

Her knuckles whitened around the kunai, and the genin charged forward. Any semblance of tact evaporated from her movements as she pulled her right arm back in preparation for a telegraphed thrust. Each step sent a splash of dirty water up and onto the Uchiha's pants, creating a muddy mosaic of organic matter and dirt on the black fabric. All that mattered now was making her mint-eyed opponent recant his slights against the Uchiha clan, even if it meant a bit of aggressive negotiations.

Two meters from Zunair, she would begin pushing her right arm forward to create the leading point of her attack while letting out a soundless scream. If the Hyuuga did not move or otherwise counteract the attack, he would find a kunai blunted against the ribs below his left pectoral. The attack itself, if fully completed, would leave Ichika with her right arm outstretched, and her attack unable to even make it past her opponent's ribs.

Baited by her own pride, she ended up making a series of mistakes that would surely cost her the spar and, in actual combat, would have cost her everything—pride and bluster only brought a kunoichi so far. Experience and a cool head went a long way in combat, two things the girl lacked. Fortunately, both would hopefully come with time and allow her to build later victories on the memories of past defeats.
---
WC: 286
TWC: 1472

Boring Numbers:

Sun Dec 12, 2021 9:22 pm

Zunair smiled as it seems as his words struck through her like a knife through butter as the temperamental Uchiha began to launch her attack at him, with just the pitiful kunai. Yes, she was good at dodging but close-up combat was what he excels at and she was making a grave mistake taking the fight up close to him. As she ran at him, holding her kunai back, ready to strike at him when she got in range; however, Zunair will not let her as soon as she was two meters from him, beginning the outstretch her arm to skewer him. Faster than her, the Byakugan user then stopped smiling as the air around him began to blur, five centimeters from his skin and then immediately pulsating outwards with a speed of forty.

This close up to the Hyuuga, the Vacuum Burst would hit her at fifty-five power knocking her back ten meters from him if she could not counter the jutsu. "Just as I thought, you shouldn't let the words of others control your emotions. You need to be more in check with your feelings or will die out on the battlefield." Zunair stated to the girl as he remained in his Hyuuga stance. Another bolt of lightning lit up the sky and the surrounding area. His clothes began to feel heavy upon.

[WC: 225]
[TWC: 1,547]

Current Health Bar: 300
Vigor: 100
Chakra: 100 (25% AP Reduction)
Speed: 75 (+15 Reflex Speed)
Strength: 25
AP: 1,245
Byakugan -5 (25% AP Reduction)
Vacuum Palm: 2/2 Post Cooldown
Storm Senbon: 2/2 Post Cooldown
Vacuum Burst -35 (25% AP Reduction)
Total Used: -40(25%) = -30
Current AP: 1,158

Mon Dec 13, 2021 9:11 pm

It all happened in what felt like slow motion; the raindrops, the lightning, and the once-frosted grass all held their breath, watching and waiting. Betrayed by her own momentum and caught between steps, Ichika could only watch as a blurred wall of force exploded outwards from Zunair's body and towards her. Her arm moved forward, mud splashed up from her final step, and her scream turned into a scowl; then it hit her, bending back her leading arm at an awkward angle and knocking the breath from her lungs like a fist to the gut.

Whatever tension once existed evaporated with a concussive pop as the Uchiha shot across the battlefield like a ragdoll. Skidding on the ground, the genin felt something rip in her left shoulder. Mud splattered all about her leaving a 30-meter long stripe of ruined turf between Ichika and Zunair when her Hyuuga-assisted journey finally came to an end. With one combatant crumpled on the ground and the other standing untouched, even the untrained eye could tell the match was over.

Pushing herself up from the muddy mess she found herself in, Ichika stood up on two shaky legs. Her previously perfectly black attire now looked like something out of a modern art exhibit with mud covering every inch of her lower half and much of her upper half. Her raven-black hair, once pulled up in a ponytail, now hung down in a matted mess as the rain continued to plaster it to her face. And yet, through it all and fueled by the adrenaline pumping through her veins, her stoic countenance remained just that.

"Emotions?" venom seeping into her voice, she spat each word. "You just got lucky, that's all!"

A sharp pain shot down her left arm, causing her to clutch it with her right. Her stony expression twisted into a pained grimace, and her gaze dropped to the ground at her feet.

She'd lost.
---
WC: 321
TWC: 1793

Boring Numbers:

Wed Dec 15, 2021 8:27 pm

Looking upon the Uchiha, Zunair watched her body fly through the air and flopped around to the ground. Zunair started walking up to her as she struggled to stand up on her two legs. She was covered in mud, hurt, hair a mess. He almost felt sorry for the girl, because at this point he could finish her off if he wanted to. All while still struggling she had hatred in her voice when she said that he got lucky. "Lucky? If that's what you want to believe," he said as he come upon her. "I didn't mean anything that I said, I was just trying to prove a point. If you would've kept your distance, you might've stood a chance. But as soon as you chose to take the fight up close, that's when you lost. You let your anger get the better of you, and that can be very detrimental." Zunair said, hoping she realizes he's being sincere,

"Your shoulder, it looks awful. Let me heal you," the mint-eyed Hyuuga said as performed the hand signs Snake > Ox > Tiger > Ram > Rat and his hands started glowing light green color. Hopefully, the Uchiha would allow him to heal her wounds because it looks painful. He would then put his hands to her shoulder at 75 power, immediately healing the would and recovering any health lost. "If you would like, I could help you train" Zunair offered his assistance to the girl, hopeful that she will accept it.

[WC: 248]
[TWC: 1,795]

Current Health Bar: 300
Vigor: 100
Chakra: 100 (25% AP Reduction)
Speed: 75 (+15 Reflex Speed)
Strength: 25
AP: 1,245
Byakugan -5 (25% AP Reduction)
Mystical Palm -50 (25% AP Reduction)
Total Used: -55(25%) = -41
Current AP: 1,117

Any Given Tuesday [P]

Any Given Tuesday [P]

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