Jinsei Lee
Member
~~~~~~~AUTHOR'S NOTES~~~~~~~~
Hey guys, just a quick heads up. I finally figured out how to fix the spacing on these chapters (went back to previous chapters and fixed those). I'm only going to post up to chapter five and see what sort of responses these chapters get. If I get enough positive responses then I'll post the rest up at some point. If I get either negative responses or no responses then I'll move on to my next project.
-By "positive" I mean anyone that shows genuine interests in the fic.
-By negative, I don't mean anyone that tries to correct mistakes, but just anyone who doesn't necessarily like it.
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CHAPTER FOUR: SEZU TESUTO. SHOURISA WA...?
("The Bell Test. The Winner Is...?")
Hey guys, just a quick heads up. I finally figured out how to fix the spacing on these chapters (went back to previous chapters and fixed those). I'm only going to post up to chapter five and see what sort of responses these chapters get. If I get enough positive responses then I'll post the rest up at some point. If I get either negative responses or no responses then I'll move on to my next project.
-By "positive" I mean anyone that shows genuine interests in the fic.
-By negative, I don't mean anyone that tries to correct mistakes, but just anyone who doesn't necessarily like it.
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CHAPTER FOUR: SEZU TESUTO. SHOURISA WA...?
("The Bell Test. The Winner Is...?")
___Kanako and Shikari were kneeling close to the ground. Below them was a patch of dirt while tugged up grass blows in the wind behind them. Kanako's finger had just lifted off the ground, having written the plan out in morse code in the dirt. She lifted her hand and gave Shikari a couple of moments before wiping her hand over it to spread the dirt around, thus wiping away the message. After the coded message was wiped away, they stood upright.
___"So that's your plan, huh?" Shikari smirked before shrugging her shoulders and placing her hands onto her hips. "How do I know you're not going to just ditch me at the last moment and make a new plan? Like steal the bell as soon as I act out on my part of the trap?"
___"Be...because I don't think that's what Hanadoru-Sensei wanted us to do." Kanako spoke in her quiet voice, biting her lip a little and looking away. "I think he wants us to work together."
___"Um. No, he doesn't even want to teach us." Shikari glared at Kanako for a moment. "Remember, only one of us grab the bell and if neither of us do, we both fail. Then he goes and adds himself into it. Think about it! Use that brain of yours!"
___Kanako looked away, clenching her pale hands into fists. She was noticeably smaller than Shikari and it seemed as though Shikari's shouting was imposing on her, making her a little frustrated.
___"Listen, after I grabbed the bell, that flower-boy decided to call a lunch break. He doesn't want to teach either of us. So it might as well be me, someone who's able to say 'hello' without stuttering rather than a demon seed like you that everyone hates." Shikari's hands remained on her hips before those chocolate-brown eyes looked over Kanako. Her brows furrowed.
___"What kind of a ninja dresses up like that anyway!? You look like you're getting ready to trash a school dance, not accepting a dangerous mission in the wilderness." Shikari's words were hard and blunt.
___Kanako closed her eyes and took a deep breath. After releasing her breath and opening those golden-yellow eyes, she turned her attention towards Shikari.
___"Shikari-san, if my plan fails, then I'll use my hidden jutsu to ensure you get the bell before Hanadoru-Sensei." Kanako's words were soft, unlike Shikari's. After trying to look confident for a brief second, those eyes shifted away from Shikari's. Kanako was about to say something, but Saiounji had suddenly appeared beside them.
___"I hope you two have had a good lunch." Saiounji smiled as he raised a hand and waved at the two. With his hand he motioned back towards the forest. "It's time to resume your test. This time, I'll give you a five minute head start."
___Kanako and Shikari both looked at each other for a brief second before nodding their heads and shifted their attention to the forest. They waited for Saiounji's signal.
___"Ready?" Saiounji glanced towards the two girls, sensing a different vibe from them than before. He formed a light smile over his lips before lowering his hand. The two girls didn't need his words, befor they took off running towards the forest. Saiounji watched quietly while the two ran into different parts of the forest and disappeared beyond the trees.
___"I wonder what they're planning." Saiounji thought to himself. "Interesting, though. Having a plan yet continue to fight each other. Well...on Shikari's part at least."
___Saiounji glanced down at the watch on his wrist before removing it and tossing it to the side. The time was read '4:20pm.'
___After about five minutes had passed, Saiounji was jumping from tree branch to tree branch. Those turquoise-colored eyes shifting from side to side. He noticed various thin threads spread throughout the branches and trees only a few meters away.
___"Kanako is still attempting her traps. It seems like she miscalculated my placement, though." Saiounji thought to himself before he continued to jump from one tree branch to another. After leaping onto five more tree branches, he stopped in his place. "What's this?"
___Saiounji's eyes widened a bit at what was in front of him. Tiny threads were spread throughout the majority of the forest. It resembled a spider-web that was designed to capture its prey. The area was covered with these threads.
___"Amazing..." Saiounji muttered to himself, scanning the scenery in front of him. It wasn't until now, since his mind wasn't focused on being as alert as it had been before, that he was able to hear the forest creatures in the forest. "She's determined to trap me. I can't even tell if any of them are decoys or the real thing."
___Saiounji sighed and turned around before he began to backtrack. He began to leap from branch to another, taking another path. Once again, those turquoise eyes widened and he stopped jumping. He kneeled down onto the tree branch and stared almost in awe at the scenery in front of him.
___Like before, the entire area was completely surrounded by tiny threads. Saiounji looked around for possible paths around the jungle of threads before shaking his head and raising his hands up into the "lamb" hand seal.
___"There's no way around it." Saiounji whispered to himself, concentrating his chakra. His hands then proceeded to form various hand seals, moving fast enough for them to appears as nothing more than a blue. While he did this, Saiounji opened his mouth and took a deep breath while arching his back.
___"Fuuton: Renkuudan!" Saiounji announced in his mind before leaning forward and releasing a sudden gust of wind from his mouth. The gust of wind seemed to grow the further it went, destroying everything in its path and sending a thick cloud of dust throughout the forest floor. When everything was cleared, a path about as wide as a football field was cleared, leaving nothing but fallen trees and the engraved ground.
___Saiounji leapt off the tree branch and landed on the ground where he proceeded to run. He loosened up his muscles and leaned forward slightly to cut wind resistance while he ran. His eyes narrowed while he ran, noticing how everything seemed quiet after his jutsu.
___"I should hurry, they're bound to have noticed my jutsu," Saiounji whispered to himself while continuing to run. "I should have sent a couple of grass clones up ahead and proceeded quietly."
___When Saiounji finally arrived at the edge of the engraved ground where the forest started up again, he scanned the area with those turquoise-colored eyes of his. He eventually caught the glimpse of the golden tint of the bell that was hidden under the leaves he had placed over it earlier. He formed a smile and began to walk closer towards the bell.
___"Hm. It seems as though they weren't fast enough..." Saiounji muttered as he stepped closer towards the bell. Out from behind the trees, a shadow stretched and attached itself onto Saiounji. Saiounji, unlike before, stood calmly and glanced towards his feet. "Ah, the Kage Mane no Jutsu again. Shikari, you really should learn newer techniques."
___"Shizuka ni!" Shikari shouted while she stepped out from behind a tree, grinning. "I caught you didn't I? That means you were stupid enough to fall for the same trick twice!" Shikari kept that grin on her face, placing her hands at her hips.
___"Yeah, I guess you're right. Hard to argue with this evidence, after-all." Saiounji smiled and nodded his head. "Though, tell me, how do you plan on grabbing the bell this time?"
___"What do mean?" Shikari raised a brow and scanned the area. They were surround by trees, both still in the ground and uprooted from Saiounji's jutsu, making it impossible for Shikari to moved around while moving Saiounji as well. She blinked a few times before grinning again. "Oh, that?"
___"Don't worry about that..." Shikari's voice came from behind Saiounji. Saiounji's eyes widen when he heard Shikari's voice and turned his head as best he could to see what was happening. Shikari and Kanako both stood behind him. Shikari's face held a wide grin and holding up the victory sign with her first two fingers while Kanako bit her lip and stared at Saiounji.
___"W..what...? When did you...?" Saiounji stared at the two behind him before returning his eyesight towards the Shikari that stood in front of him. "I see. So you used the Kage Bushin no Jutsu to form a shadow clone and trap me in the Kage Mane no Jutsu. Very clever of you, Shikari."
___"Heh...what can I say, I'm a genius!" The Shikari behind him spoke out, running a finger under her nose while grinning. "Just stay put while Kanako and I pass the test, pretty boy."
___Saiounji formed a smirk on his lips as he heard the footsteps the two behind him made. The moment they got too close, a rock went flying into the air and a net appeared. The net broke from its camouflaged covering and wrapped around Shikari and Kanako, sending them up into the air. The moment the two went up, they gasped and yelped out in shock. Another Saiounji leapt down from the trees and stared up at the trapped Shikari and the trapped Kanako.
___"However, you gave yourselves away moments ago." The new Saiounji spoke out, forming a smile on his lips. Kanako's golden-yellow eyes widened as she tugged at the rope on the net that held them in there.
___"The hell!? Hey, when did you..? When did you create a grass clone!?" Shikari shouted out, questioning Saiounji rather harshly. Saiounji's eyebrows furrowed as she stared at one Saiounji, then to the other, then back again.
___"When I noticed how many traps were set up, I realized that you two pursuing me to find out where the bell was. I decided to just cut to the chase and made a direct path." Saiounji chuckled and offered a light shrug. "I created the Kusa Bushin when the dust cloud picked up. I went ahead and made way to this spot and set up a trap for you guys while my clone led you in."
___"So...we failed again." Kanako's eyes lowered, speaking out in a quiet voice.
___"Not yet!" Shikari growled and formed her hands into the "rat" seal, sending her shadow up the netting and onto the tree. The shadowed stretched down the trunk of the tree and to the forest floor, but ending at that point. The whole time, the real Saiounji watched the shadow, making sure it wouldn't come near. "Damn!"
___"I guess there's a limit to how far you can manipulate and stretch." Saiounji smiled, watching the shadow for a moment. His eyes returned to the captured pair in the net. The nervous Kanako suddenly formed a grin on her face and placed her hands into the "rat" seal. Saiounji's eyebrows rose for a brief second before noticing something moving.
___Saiounji's eyes shot to the side, watching as that shadow suddenly started to come closer. Saiounji leapt to the side and glanced to the other side. He noticed another shadow moving. The first Shikari was using her shadow to try and capture the real Saiounji while holding the fake one. Saiounji landed on the forest floor before leaping back and away from the two shadows and landing in front of a tree.
___"Nice try, but..." Saiounji started to speak, but his actions froze. Neither shadow was near him, but he was unable to move. "Why...why can't I move?" Saiounji's words were struggled.
___"Because I caught you with a Kage Mane no Jutsu." Shikari's voice spoke out from behind the tree. When Saiounji glanced down to his feet, he noticed a shadow wrapping around the tree and under his feet. Ignoring that for now, his eyesight lifted to Kanako inside the net.
___"So, Kanako knows the Kage Mane no Jutsu as well?" Saiounji questioned, his turquoise-colored eyes twitching. It was noticeably apparent that he was shaken up by the ordeal. He had been captured by a couple of rookies.
___"Of course not!" Kanako screamed out with a familiar voice. A puff of smoke generated and it was revealed that in Kanako's place was another Shikari. "No one outside the Nara Clan can learn the jutsu, dumbass!"
___Saiounji's eyes narrowed before scanning his eyes around at the number of Shikari. There were four of them. One holding the Kusa Bushin in the Kage Mane, two trapped in the net, and one behind the tree which was behind him.
___Kanako leapt down from the trees and threw a couple of senbon needles at the rope that held the two Shikari. Upon landing on the ground, one of the Shikari disappeared in a puff of smoke. The other one, the one that pretended to be Kanako, landed and kneeled on the ground with a grin across her face.
___"Kanako thought up of a really good plan...we figured that you were listening in on us, so she wrote it down in the dirt." Shikari grinned again when she started to brag. "She said that I should follow you, but use shadow clones as well. This way I have a larger chance capturing you after you show me where the bell is."
___"I figured that you wouldn't enter an area unless the bell was hidden there, so I tried to cover up as much of forest as I could." Kanako admitted. Her voice was soft and barely heard while those golden-yellow eyes looked away.
___"We knew you'd use that damn Kusa Bushin of yours, so we decided to see what was what and who was who." Shikari continued to brag, placing her hands on her hips. "now...to finish off our mission."
___Shikari and Kanako both turned towards bell and glanced to each other. Kanako formed a slight smile, blushing a little over her cheeks while Shikari grinned. Shikari and Kanako both reached at the same time, placing one finger on each side and lifting the bell up by adding equal force on both ends.
___Saiounji sighed and lowered his head, forming a small smile of his own.
___"Yoku dekimashita." He whispered to himself in thought, congratulating the two.
~~~~~~~~~~TRANSLATIONS~~~~~~~
*Haha, I suck! It wasn't until chapter six when I started translating things.
Yoku dekimashita - Polite way of saying "well done."