Book One: Dawn of Oomi
Chapter Three: Oh Sensei, My Sensei

-Prologue-

“Oomi!” It was the fourth time he’d called her name. “OOMI!” And that was the fifth. Still no response from poor old Harou’s slumbering daughter. Only now did he get up and march to her bedroom, frustration in every step. He’d wanted to avoid having to get back up. Already he’d gotten up once to answer the door, which ruined his relaxation enough. Hell, he’d even waited until a more reasonable hour to rouse the young woman and yet there she was when he opened the door, still sleeping.

An arm hung from the bed and with it dangled a leg that were it but a bit longer might have found the floor. Her body seemed precariously close to the edge of the bed as if she might slip off of it at any moment. This was a fate that had befallen her sheets probably long ago. There on the floor they lie bunched up in a mess. The pillow too had been evicted though it was tossed to the opposite side of the bed.

“Oomi…” Harou started. “get up, girl.” He went on to demand. He got a snore in response, which infuriated him. Legs attached to a six foot frame carried him to the side of her bed, the side of the pillow was on. She was going to pay for not hearing him. A swift kick was delivered to the side of the bed and a wide grin followed.

The shifting of the bed was enough -- Oomi went tumbling down to the floor where she sprawled out on her back. Surprisingly enough still sleeping quite soundly for a few moments longer. Or at least long enough for Harou to drop the letter that had been delivered earlier this morning on her belly and leave the room. When her eyes finally did flutter open it would take a few seconds before she realized she was in her room. A long night of training had sent a zombie back to her fathers apartment in Iwagakure’s Living Quarters.

When she finally gained some semblance of consciousness she finally noticed the letter and quickly opened it. Inside was a message; that she was to be meeting her new sensei this morning somewhere at the training grounds. Oomi leapt up and shouted some unintelligible garbled mess at the top of her lungs. 

-Waiting for Sensei-

It had been just under an hour since Oomi received her letter, or rather since she’d read it. No time had been wasted in making her way to the Fissure Training grounds. Now stood anxiously in the center of a plateau atop of a pillar of rock. The plateau itself was about 20 or so meters in diameter, while the pillar stretched down just over 90 meters. A wood and rope bridge dangled from the plateau’s southern side, this being the only access to the area being that the other end of the bridge sat atop a rocky outcrop nearly sixty meters away. On the western side, just over 80 meters away from the pillar, the jagged face of one of Iwa’s many mountains sloped upward toward a peak hidden among the clouds. To the north stretched a vast serious of pointed and flat pillars of rock of various sizes. Tree’s poked up in the empty space between them, daring to transform the landscape so far below into forest. The nearest of those pillars of earth was 25 meters away. On the eastern side of the pillar a series of jagged mountains stretched as far as the eye could see, none much taller than the pillar until about 100 meters down the chain. Down below the pillar was a valley type area where other shinobi were currently training among the dirt, rocks and shrubbery. The plataeu upon which Oomi waited had been cut from this stone long ago by another shinobi who’s name had been since forgotten. As such it was near perfectly flat and had little to offer but small rocks and dust, though in northern side had begun to grow small tufts of grass here and there.

Oomi, who had been watching the bridge, pivoted on her heel to turn toward the northern side of the pillar. This was one of her favorite places, specifically for the view north of it. Not to mention it was peaceful up here, at least when there wasn’t another shinobi already present. Sun tanned legs carried her body toward the northern edge and in moments she was sitting, legs dangling over the side. Her only job for no was to wait, and wait she would. 

While she did so, her mind wandered to what type of person her new sensei might be. There’d been a name included in the letter, though she didn’t recognize it. Thus she had nothing much to go on, but let her tell it he was going to be some kind of super ninja that would rocket her toward her goals and dreams. 

Jutsu Used:

-You are my Sensei-

In the few moments that had passed since she’d sat down, it seemed an eternity had slipped by. Ironically, this was the longest she’d sat still in quite sometime now — at least when she wasn’t sleeping, though the stillness of her sleep was up for debate. Even while she was still in the academy she spent most of her time on the go, training her body or some kind of jutsu. It was actually kind of nice to stop and admire the land of earth with its vast stretches of rolling mountains and plateaus covered in clusters of tall trees. A smile slipped across the young woman’s lips as she leaned back slightly, her arms stretched behind her to support her as she gazed upward at the sky. She’d not often enough stopped to realize just how close the village of Iwa was to the sky. It seemed that if she were to reach out she might be able to draw down one of the clouds so far away. The thought drew her mind toward envy of Kumogakure which she had heard actually sat among the clouds.

Now came birds, perhaps emboldened by the girls aura and far too trusting. They landed among the small tufts of grass that lie around her and peaked at the ground in search of meals. Others perched on the plateaus edge to watch vigilantly for other sources of protein. The smallest of them dared hop closer to the young kunoichi, and closer still until she might have been able to reach out and snatch it up. Eyes a steely blue followed it as it bounced around, never actually looking for food but seeming more interested in the girl herself. It tilted its head and Oomi did the same in response. Unfortunately the sudden noise of feet approaching robbed the little bird of its courage and with a leap and a flap of its wings it was airborne and circling the area as if still curious as to why the girl and now the young man were here.

Oomi didn’t turn to look at her new sensei until he’d spoken, having chosen instead to keep her eye on the bird. Though when he did she twisted slightly and flashed a wide grin. “That’s it!” She chimed in response happily just before standing up. Once she was up she turned to face Karumo and shifted her arms behind her back while leaning forward slightly as if it might give her a better view of her new sensei. “Ka-ru-mo~” She sounded out as if the man’s name was difficult to say. She simply nodded and allowed him to go on, her eyes wandering around his frame as he did so. He certainly looked the part of a Super Ninja that would rocket her to all her dreams and goals. To further confirm that what he was saying seemed to convey the same. As she listened she began to rock back and forth on her heels, until finally he was done with his introductory speech. Across Oomi’s face was plastered a wide and overly excited grin. She was taking what he’d said to mean that she was somehow special, selected to be groomed specifically for some important role in the village — hopefully that role was to be a Monolith and one day the Tsuchikage.

She was supposed to be answering with some facts about herself, but it was then that she truly noticed. “Oh. My. God.” She forced out in choppy bits as she slunk a little closer to Karumo. A second step put her face about as close as she could get it given their three inch height difference. “Your eyes!” She exclaimed, staring into what she was pointing out. “They are amazing!” She’d reach out to grab his face if he allowed it, whether he did or not her face twisted into a pout. “I want purple eyes. They’re so kawaii.” As she finished she let his face go if he’d allowed her to grab it in the first place.

A finger tapped against the corner of her mouth. “I bet I could train my eyes to be purple if I tried really hard.” Of course, she couldn’t and she knew that she couldn’t but that kind of logic had no place here. She was going to do this thing and nothing was going to stop her, not even genetics. “Right! I’ll have purple eyes just like you one day, Karu-sensei!” She shouted with a triumphant fist pump. “Oh! You asked a question and I’ve got answers!” She said as she slipped her arms back behind her back again and began to pace left and right. “Let’s see… Well, you already know I’m Oomi.” She started. “I guess you already know where I live, too. Hmn.” She tapped a finger against her chin, though left the unused arm behind her back. “Oh! My favorite things are; purple, fights, training, annnnd~ …monkeys! Oh and squishy things… and ramen!” She finished as she finally stopped her pacing and turned to face Karumo again. She grinned and took up her fighting stance. Both feet were spaced no more than shoulder width, the right slightly further back than the left. Her hands were lifted to a position just in front of and slightly to either side of her mouth and nose. “I’m also the current Taijutsu Princess and future Queen, and will be not only a Monolith but the Tsuchikage one day!” That said she let her stance relax. “I guess that’s it. Oomi is an Oomi, mhm.”

Jutsu Used:

- Decisions, Decisions! -

“Mmph.” Oomi nodded to Karumo’s proclemation of coming questions. The first however caught her a bit off guard. Had she really been… chaotic? The young girl tapped a finger against her chin and thought on it for a moment. This would be a moment of deep introspection for her — it lasted all of fifteen seconds. “Yes.” She nodded with her answer and slipped her arms behind her back. As she listened to the explanation of the second question she rocked back and forth slightly, seemingly unable to sit still for more than a few seconds at a time. “Oooh, decisions! It’s like picking a flavor for the day! Hmmmmm.” She drew her right hand forward and rubbed her chin as if she were trying to make a decision, despite not being told the options yet.

As if the realization that she didn’t actually know what she was deciding on had fallen out of the sky and hit her, she dropped her hand and set her gaze on Karumo. “What are the choices?” She asked, and he continued with his explanation. Before he’d even gotten to the extra particulars of the choices Oomi was already back into her muay thai stance a wide grin smudged across her face. “That’s an easy choice.” She mused.

Yet, still Karumo added extra spice to the dish. “Free Ramen. Confirmed.” She nodded just before drawing in a deep breath which she exhaled slowly. “I’m so gonna win, Karu-sensei~” She chimed afterwards. “Nothing will stand in the way of me and free ramen!!” She shouted.

Oomi’s right foot was slid back a bit further than her left, both at about shoulder width. Barely noticeably she bent her right leg, preparing to move forward and begin her assault. “Ready. Set. Go!” That was all the warning that she was going to give him. In truth it was probably too much, but it would have been in poor sport to not tell him that the fight was starting. Besides, this way he’d have no excuse when she won that free ramen he was talking about. Yep, all that confidence and then some.

At the sound of her shouted ‘Go!’, Oomi pushed forward from her right leg while stepping forward with her left. The movement gave her the momentum she required to throw her opening punch; a straight right to the center of Karumo’s chest. This was immediately followed by a second step forward and another straight, this time with her left hand. She wasn’t expecting to actually hit him yet though. This was her test, this would be how she determined how hard she had to fight. As if she might be able to fight hard enough to beat the man in the first place. Still, she was sure that she was capable of it and though she may not know much… she was born for taijutsu.

Jutsu Used:

- The Taijutsu Princess -

He didn’t seem to take her seriously, taking his time to remove his jacket and toss it aside even as she moved in for her first attack. It was painfully obvious why he’d not thought her a threat. He easily swatted the first punch aside and the second was caught in his own hand. Oomi sucked her teeth as he taunted her, as he taunted her claim. She’d spoken the truth! She was the Taijutsu Princess!

Oomi kicked her left leg forward toward Karumo’s abdomen. Unfortunately, he was already on the move having released her hand and leapt back away from her. This left nothing but air for Oomi to kick and thus she was shifted forward slightly with her kick and nearly thrown off balance, having put all of her strength behind it. “Ugh.” She huffed in disgust with herself. Though immediately her stance was renewed. Her eyes narrowed on Karumo as he performed a seals of rapid hand seals. She could almost recognize the combination, but almost wasn’t nearly enough. She’d have to wait and see. No point in rushing in just to get knocked on her ass by a jutsu she already knew was coming.

It would happen that her decision to wait, worked in her favor. Small pebbles and rocks were drawn from the ground and flattened into sharp weapons; shuriken. Ten of them in total. Oomi’s lips slipped into a wide grin. He wanted to see more from her, he was going to get it. The young girl drew a vast amount of air into her mouth and quickly exhaled it in a somewhat powerful stream of chakra infused wind. The stream was directed ahead of her toward the stone shuriken which were headed towards her. The simple jutsu would easily knock them away, leaving them to fall far short of their target. As Oomi did this she kicked off the ground and allowed the force of her wind stream to push her back to just 4 meters from the edge of the plateau. This was more than enough space.

Oomi’s smile returned and like a bat out of hell she darted toward Karumo, quickly reaching her top speed in the space between them. Not that she was all that fast at the moment, more training was required for sure. This the young kunoichi realized and even as she ran toward him she manipulated the flow of her chakra throughout her body, shunting it to the eight gates around her body. This would increase her speed by one rank, giving her a sudden burst of speed that might catch even Karumo who seemed unimpressed thus far off guard.

When she was within arms reach, Oomi took a last left footed hard step forward and feinted with her right hand. A false right hook which she twisted her body with, aimed somewhere about the 8th to 10th ribs in Karumo’s side, that stopped about half way. Even as that hook stopped, Oomi threw a second punch, a swift left jab that if successful would find Karumo’s jaw. Whether this was successful or not she followed up with another right hook, this one aimed a bit lower for a place just beneath Karumo’s ribs. She wasn’t done, however, with the motion of her prior punch she stepped across her body with her right foot. This set her body into a spinning motion, which as she did she she looked over her shoulder, keeping her eye on Karumo. With the spin she brought the heel of her left foot around fiercely toward the side of Karumo’s head. When the kick was finished her left foot would be placed slightly behind her body just beyond shoulder with. This enabled her to push up of the ground somewhat and forward from her right foot, thrusting her right elbow downward, with the aid of gravity, toward the soft bit of flesh between Karumo’s neck and collar bone, as if it were a dagger she meant to pierce him with.
(Right Hook [Feint], Left Jab, Right Hook, Spinning Heel Kick, Elbow)

That done she’d land and retake her stance, a wide grin on her face. The adrenaline was starting to pump through her veins. This was why she enjoyed fighting so much. She might have lost all feeling in her body, but she could still feel the chemical pumping through her. It was like a drug, and she an addict. Oomi bounced on her feet slightly and prepared to begin her next combination.

Jutsu Used:

- Almost doesn’t count -

He was good, not better than she expected however. In fact, she assumed he was taking it easy on her. There weren’t many people at her level that were capable of avoiding her attacks. Oomi was fast, probably one of the fastest Genin around all things considered. Yet, still Karumo out ranked her in every way. Despite, she’d managed to land a solid blow on him. Hell, technically she’d managed to hit him twice. Though her final dropping elbow had been thwarted by a substitution technique. Even as Oomi bounced about, an adrenaline filled smile on her face, she cursed herself for having not seen the substitution coming. If she was more perceptive she might have realized that the removal of his jacket was more than what it had seemed. No matter, she’d proven that she could lay hands, or rather feet and elbows on him. If he was taking it easy on her then she was going to use that to her advantage. She had no other choice. The first failed punches proved that she wasn’t actually fast enough to hit him. She was going to rely on his holding back and her ability to string combinations together near seamlessly. She’d make him pay for taking it easy and leave him with no where to escape.

“Ha, of course my next move is going to win me that Ramen!” She shouted pridefully. Of course, the truth of the matter was that she was afraid Karumo’s next move might put her on her ass. He’d increased the distance between them yet again and if experience proved useful here he was going to attack. She’d already discerned that, at least during this fight, he was prone to attacking when there was space and time for him to do so. With that in mind she assumed that he was no Taijutsu ‘master’ like herself. This meant she had a small advantage where that was concerned. If she realized this, then he more than likely did as well. But what did that mean he would do next? Another jutsu? Perhaps more shuriken? Surely, he couldn’t perform that technique a second time so quickly, but perhaps he kept actual shuriken on his person just for that purpose.

The young girls mind was racing, a new thought springing to life with each beat of her heart. She might have been an impulsive and chaotic fighter, but she certainly was no slouch. She prided herself in her prowess in battle. However, her inexperience was bound to rear its ugly head… and so it did. Despite her better judgement she decided to rely on her speed. Whatever Karumo was going to do, she’d be able to avoid it if need be. What she needed to do was close the distance between them again, she needed to get in close where she was feeling that she had some kind of advantage, however small. Again, the thought being that his holding back just might grant her the precious seconds she needed to deliver a devastating blow. Not that she was actually sure it would even work. The technique was iffy at best, and her physical strength just might not be up to par.

The entire time, Oomi had continued bouncing from her left to right foot, however, now when her right foot hit the ground she took off in a burst of speed toward Karumo. Still her clans most basic technique was active, increasing her speed. Unfortunately, she’d not have the advantage of surprising Karumo with the burst. She’d probably already become accustomed to her swiftness by now and realized how much faster he was. It wouldn’t matter though. The instant that she took off, Karumo himself moved into a sprint. With a shadow clone at his side, no less. Karumo and his clone launched a simultaneous attack against the girl, one high and one low, both spinning with a kick that at first glance made this new technique seem near impossible to avoid.

Oomi was the Taijutsu Princess, however. Control over her body came as naturally as breathing. As Karumo neared she stutter stepped and kicked off the ground into a forward dive. The stutter was to take advantage of the opposing spin of either kick. This meant that there would be a brief period in which both Karumo and his clone would leave a large gap in their attack. Through this gap, Oomi was going to dive. Unfortunately, however, being so much slower than the man left her off target by just a bit. Thus, instead of making it through the gap safely the clone’s kick collided with her foot just as she was kicking off the ground causing a certain wildness to her dive. Instead of hitting the ground behind Karumo and rolling back to her feet, she instead move between the kicks and hit the ground face first — sliding just a bit.

Almost. Oomi pounded a fist into the ground. “UGH!” Almost doesn’t count. Still, Oomi bounced up as if she’d never been on the ground and turned to face Karumo, who she assumed had landed by now. Scrapes from small rocks imbedded in the plateau streaked across her face, a few of which leaked small amounts of blood. She couldn’t feel it, and perhaps that was a good thing. “I like it, I’m going to steal that move one day.” Some day after she learned how to make clones, it had never been one of her strong suits. She’d never really seen the purpose in them, or rather her pride in her own skill had never allowed her to see the benefits of creating a clone. It was obvious now though. The girl slid back into her muay thai stance, ready to continue. She was having more fun than she’d had in a while.

She’d just found her new addiction, something to compliment her love of adrenaline… she find people stronger than her… she’d test herself against them until there was no one left to defeat, until she was the strongest there was.

Jutsu Used:

- Breaking Bad -

Oomi’s lips curled into a half smirk. She’d gone down but her actions had seemingly impressed her new sensei, at least enough for him to acknowledge what she’d done. This softened the sting of her failed attempt at dodging his attack. Still though she felt the urge to prove that she was better than that. She nodded when he finished his bit of advice. “Got it! I wont forget!” She announced as she began formulating a plan. Already he was at least 5 meters away, a distance she could close fairly quickly but he’d already proven to be faster than her. She wondered what jutsu he might use next and if she’d be able to react to it in time if she charged him again.

As if he knew that she was considering another attack Karumo jumped back a bit further, increasing the distance between them. With it he also increased the likely hood that she’d not be able to get close to him before he performed another jutsu. Which, ironically enough, he was already preparing. Oomi’s eyes darted between he and his clone, which was already on the move as well. He’d told her to consider all the possibilities. The young girl’s mind raced, but she was drawing blanks. Until it finally hit her. A quick series of handseals were made; she’d deal with the clone first, though she was still unsure which of them was actually the real Karumo. 

Her hand seals completed, a massive river of mud formed in the dirt beneath the clone’s feet. The three meter wide river would drag it back 5 meters, giving Oomi just enough time to take steps against the cloud of smokey ash that was spreading toward her. At first glance Oomi assumed that the jutsu was meant to mask Karumo’s movements. She wouldn’t realize what the cloud was actually for until it happened. Still, she did realize that the cloud could only be in use to set up another jutsu of some kind, or even for him to attack her physically.

Oomi sucked her teeth. She had to try. The girl summoned fuuton nature chakra to her hands after performing the bird hand seal. With that she darted forward toward Karumo and his clone. As the clone was sliding backward in the river of mud, or otherwise if he’d dodged it, Oomi fired 2 air bullets in his direction; one aimed at about the center of his right shoulder and the other at his heart. Realizing that she was still unsure if he was the real or the fake, Oomi decided to fire 2 more bullets at the clone. Desperate times called for desperate measures, she was going to over use this jutsu at the cost of her chakra. With a little luck things would work out for her, but this also probably wasn’t the best of plans. The 2 new bullets that she fired were aimed at the clones gut, left shoulder, and right leg. To be honest, she was working from memory here. She could only hope that the clone hadn’t moved and that her river of mud jutsu had been successful. Otherwise, she was missing completely as the clone wouldn’t be on the trajectory she’d thought.

Whether she was successful or not, Oomi pressed onward. Her goal was to stop the Karumo that had created the could of smoke. Unfortunately, by now she’d completely lost sight of him. Still, her thought was that he’d be busy preparing another jutsu and wouldn’t even see her coming. If she was lucky, she’d burst out of the smoke and stop him before he did whatever he was going to do. A big risk, but worth it. He wouldn’t be expecting that right? Kyōkatai was increasing her speed, but she was unsure if it would be enough. A hard decision was to be made. Give up the element of surprise or take the chance that a few well placed air bullets might disrupt her sensei?

Oomi gritted her teeth and fired a single air bullet in the direction that she’d last seen Karumo. She’d come behind it soon after; flying through the smoke with her right knee stretched forward and her arms held up ahead of her body and face for protection should the Karumo that may or may not be there attempt to counterattack. A flying knee from nowhere, that would get ‘em right? If so, he’d find a knee in his chest. Afterwards, Oomi kicked her left leg forward toward Karumo’s right shoulder. If successful, she might managed to knock him to the ground, after which she’d extend her right leg and quite literally step on his face. If she did it, that would certainly stop him from doing whatever he was going to do right?

She could only hope. Either way she was exhausted now. She’d put everything she had into that, fail or not she was quite proud of herself. But hey, at least she wouldn’t feel it right?

Jutsu Used:

[Exit Thread][Closing Thread]