The path a head was going to be dangerous as he was very aware of it. His first mission was going to be a success, if they took out the remaining thieves. He would spring ahead of his teammates to make sure he gets there first. Isuma was as impatient as ever, but he felt this adrenalin over flowing in his body as he got closer the feeling of battling only made him stronger. He would stop above the enemies hideout as he stood there waiting for them to come out, or his for his teammates to get there, he did leave them behind. A reckless move by Isuma even tho he  knew this, but he didn't care at the moment he felt invincible this day in specific.

He would get tired of waiting for both his teammates and the enemies so he decided to make his own move, if his team would get there they could just help out at least that's the way Isuma thought of it. But recklessness always comes with consequences and the only way to avoid it is to never be reckless without a reason. Isuma would land on top of the cave that the enemies were hidding in, the area was very quiet for a long time, something was wrong and Isuma noticed it quite quickly. He would jump down to the ground and he duck to the sides of the caves making sure he wouldn't get notice by the enemies. "Damn what's taking them so long to get here" Isuma thought to himself as he looks at the path behind him as no sign of his teammates even near. He would slowly make his way into the cave making sure he was still be hidden from plain site. Isuma moved as slowly as he could standing in all feets (Aka placed his hands on the ground like a monkey >.> Get it Sarutobi clan) Isuma made his way threw the cave it was pretty long for a short looking cave from the outside, but like they say don't judge a book by its cover. Isuma kept moving forward and noticed a light coming from the left side of the cave, "So that must be where there at" he would say in his head as he moved closer and closer to the edge of the wall like boulders that made the cave. He would place his hand on the boulder and he would take a sneak peak of what's going on. Isuma would notice only two of the thieves as they counted the money they stoled from the merchants from Konohagakure. "Where is the third guy at" Isuma said under his breath. "Why don't you look behind you and find out" a deep voice said, Isuma would stay still as he was caught and only had two options, either to give in or to fight. The adrenaline from earlier would overflow once again, Isuma would spin counter clockwise extending his left arm back, but he was to slow and the thief would grab it and put pressure on it. Isuma felt to one knee looking up to the man before him. "How did you noticed I was here?" Isuma asked and the man gave him a smile, "I'm no ordinary thief child" the man said as he pulled in Isuma to him delivering a vicious knee to the gut. Isuma's would get cut off, of his breathing quickly the man would grab Isuma's hair amd pull him up of his feets, Isuma would hold the man's arm with both hands but the pain was no delight. Isuma would quickly placed both of his feet in the man's chest and pushed as hard as he could back, backflipping and in mid air Isuma would perform several hand signs then landing on his feet as he would stare straight as he would inhale filling his lungs with chakra then releasing it threw a rign like shape from his fingers. A small sphere like ball would be release as it got bigger the more it moved forward (This technique is known as Fire Release: Gran Fire Ball Jutsu or Fire Style: Great Fire Ball Jutsu | Same shit different name -.- for does who like being technical and shit.) The fire ball would swallow everything that it came in contact with it. Isuma would fall to his knees again, but this time we knew he was no longer hidden, he would stand up and look back to see if any of the thieves where near by, as he turn a shadow of a man stood in front of him as he took a step back to get some distance between them, but it was to late the man's hand was touching Isuma's chest, where his heart is. Isuma would just stare back to the men as he felt his heart beat slowing down, Isuma would the fall to both his knees as he began to cough blood from his mouth. Isuma would touch his chest as he felt every beat fade away his eyes would only focus on the man as he slowly falls to the ground. "Was this my destiny? ... Why now? ... Was this as far as I could get......." Isuma thought as his eyes began to blur then everything faded to black.

Isuma would stare into darkness a feeling of dread came upon him, a feeling of discomfort, silence was all there was no joy, no pain, no anger, no hatred. A silence that would change even does that follow the will of fire. A sudden feeling of pain came across Isuma's face, it was nothing but the long he stood quiet the more it hurt and he began to feel pain threw his face and closed and open his eyes. As he looked down on the floor, Isuma would stand up as quick as possible as he was in his room. "It was just a dream" Isuma said as a feeling came upon him a feeling of being alive.

Isuma stared at his hands with a look of despair "How could I be so reckless... Even if it was just a dream" Isuma said with a voice that could tell that he has lost his conviction. Everything felt useless to him at the moment, this dream changed something within him that he never thought that could happen. Isuma no longer believed in the will of fire at least not as much as he used to. He would stand up and make his way to the bathroom as he would shut the door behind him. Isuma then turn to the mirror and stared at himself, as he just stared into his eyes as his yellow eyes didn't seem yellow no more but black as his heart at the moment. He would look down and looked at the sink and at his hands he felt useless which made him feel angry as he clutched his hands into a fist "I can't afford to die now, I just have to get stronger" Isuma said with a conviction of hatred this feeling of power he needed to become the strong like the Hokage no he needed to become stronger than the Hokage he needed to become the strongest ninja in Konoha.

Isuma would look at himself again this time he was confident in himself but not in the good way. He would brush his teeth and get dress for a training section to become stronger than what he was stronger than what he ever imagined. Isuma was ready to go train he even dress for the occasion, he had a v neck t shirt on with some brown & black shorts then on top of the t shirt he put a black sweater that has the symbol of the leaf. He put black tape around both his hands and lower arms on top of the tape he put a brown wristband. He also placed black tape around his legs and ankle then put his ninja black sandals. He was ready for a long training section, he was beyond motivated and needed redemption over his dream. Isuma would walk out his house and lock his door behind him as he would bow as he always did. He then made his way to threw town quiet and serious with his hands on his pocket a focus mind and a angry soul. Everyone that passed by Isuma could tell he wasn't himself Isuma wasn't really the serious time. But Isuma ignored as much people as he could before getting annoyed by everyone amd just jumping to the roof tops and making his way to the a place he isn't really supposed to go but be needed to train there it was the only way for him to get ahead of the other genins. As he reached his destination he would stop and looked at the cage in front of him with the locked doors. "Hmm..." Isuma would get closer and reach the door and with his fingers he would make the shape a pistol "Lightning Release: Shock Bullet" Isuma said as a yellow bullet was launched from his finger to the lock breaking it into pieces. Isuma would open the door and give an evil smile "Time has come to train in the FORREST OF DEATH!"

Word Count: 549

“Isuma-chan, right?”

Shinako stood behind the young man, watching as he blew the lock off of the fence leading into the Forest of Death. His triumphant shout about training confirmed her suspicion that it was a Shinobi-related matter keeping him down. The Kunoichi had a remarkable eye for people, so when she had seen him trudging through the town, walking like a man with a purpose, she had decided to follow the younger Ninja to make sure he didn’t do anything rash.

The dark-haired woman recognized the younger man from gatherings of the Noble Clans; parties attended by the Yamanaka, Nara, Akimichi, and the honored guests, the Sarutobi. She remembered his yellow eyes, though he had been slightly younger when she had received her ceremonial earring, galvanizing the relationship between their two clans. Back when she was a socialite, she had memorized every member of the Noble clans for at least three generations, and remembered vaguely sending Isuma a card wishing him well upon his graduation from Academy.

When she spoke, her voice was saturated with a friendly but rather stern quality.

“You aren’t thinking of going in there, are you?”

She gestured with her eyes toward the dark tree-line, keeping her hands folded politely in front of her so as to not give offense or fright with her posture. Her voice was smooth and low enough that she rarely startled anyone, even when sneaking up on them. It had a soothing quality that seemed to transition seamlessly into the uninterrupted thoughts of others without causing too much alarm or confusion. Her brothers had often described her mother as having the same quality, though Shinako was already starting to forget the beloved woman. She wouldn’t think about that. For now, as a higher-ranking Shinobi, she had to investigate the behavior she had just witnessed.

All Genin and Chuunin knew that they were barred from the Forest of Death without supervision. Jounin often journeyed there to train some of their more dangerous techniques, or to practice their orienteering skills, but even they sometimes returned with wounds, or harrowing stories of giant snakes, or tar-pits. Sometimes, it was said, the occasional Jounin would not return at all, and would be listed as ‘missing-in-action’ for all of time. The Forest did not quite scare Shinako, but, as with all places that Shinobi frequented, she felt a certain sense of caution towards it.

400/400

"Isuma-Chan, right" a feminine and  gentle yet serious voice but nothing to scare him just to warn him that he got caught. Isuma would slowly turn his head back just enough to see who was behind him. He would stare at her but not with hatred not conviction but puzzled like is he knew her, her looks reminded her of someone he has seen before but not just any where in a specific location. Isuma would blush after all she was a beautiful woman and Isuma couldn't denied beauty regardless of age. He would turn his head back to the forest of death. “You aren’t thinking of going in there, are you?” The lady would say. Isuma would keep quit for a moment thinking of how to get rid of her, he knew she was either a jounin or chuunin so g knew he was at a disadvantage but he could find ways to get rid of her."Why? Are you going to stop me? Isuma said with a serious yet low voice he was trying to disrespect her. Isuma wasn't going to turn back know he was there the door was already open (remember) all he had to do was take a few steps forward and run but he knew better if she was planing on stopping him then it would be more of an efferd.

Isuma then remember something that was sitting on his head but didn't come out. He remembered that he had a technique that could get him but not just inside put pretty deep inside. This technique is mainly used to escape from battle so it was almost like that situation he was trying to get rid of her so what better way to do that to leave her in the dust. "If you are planing on stopping me ... your going to have to catch up" Isuma said as he slowly turn towards her until he was facing her. Nothing in hand, hands to his side, then Isuma made the tithe hand sign with one finger and quickly raised it up to his face then placed it on his forehead. Isuma was looking at her then a second later Isuma was looking severel trees. He was inside the forest of death and a good distance away from her, if she wants to catch up she had to run at her full speed to catch up to him know. "I guess she was expecting that out of me" Isuma said as he began to move deeper into the forest of death.

Wordcount: 441
chakra: 150 | 140 Left
Body Flick Technique

A slight flush came to Shinako’s cheeks, and she felt the rippling rankle of adrenaline course through her. If she were to ever look back on this moment, she would realize that there was scarcely a moment of hesitation before her feet started moving toward the tree-line. She didn’t so much as cast a glance over her shoulder. Nobody cared about a couple of low-ranking Shinobi disappearing into a rarely-used training ground. Apparently the young man was confident in his ability to survive in area 44, but she would attempt to find him anyway. It was a dangerous game, but a game nonetheless.

Rushing in with her own body-flicker technique would be useless. She had no way of knowing where Isuma had gone, and would have to pick up his trail once inside. Having no skill in sensory techniques, Shinako would have to rely on her rudimentary tracking techniques and her senses to locate him. The area was not particularly large, but the endeavor might still take several hours, if she could track him down at all. It wasn’t exactly the prospect of finding him that took her into the forest, however. She had never considered entering before, and the opportunity presented to her now was too good to pass up.

There was something inside of Shinako that loved the mystery, and the danger of it all. The last time she had disappeared into the woods, it had been far from the village. This presented an opportunity to escape from the world without actually escaping, and she relished it. Perhaps her supervisor would look up from his desk and wonder where she had been all day, and the thought of becoming a mystery thrilled her.

There was scarcely twenty feet between the entrance and the dark cover of the foliage, and Shinako passed it without ceremony, disappearing from the eyes of the Hidden Leaf; herself hidden under the leaves. The noises of the city, though already distant, faded away almost entirely, absorbed by the dark limbs of the trees. The Kunoichi inhaled deeply, taking in the rich, damp scent of it. She climbed into a nearby tree and began leaping from branch to branch, headed in a clockwise motion, intending to circle slowly inwards as she searched. Hopefully she would pick up on the boy’s scent or sound, as the prospects of catching sight of him from afar were slim.

She wondered, as she began her search, what had driven Isuma to this. He certainly hadn’t seemed suicidal, even though he appeared distressed. Perhaps he was the same as her, and just needed to get away for a little while. The hum-drum of the day to day activities in the Hidden Leaf could be just as dangerous as any poisonous plant, or the fangs of a beast. Shinako understood how inertia could kill a person here.

475/875

Isuma would make his day down the forrest of death as he's eyes looked for an area to train in. Somewhere he could move around without having to many things in the way. He would stop for a brief moment to scoop out the area better moving around made thing much harder to kind. He would scan the area slowly as he would actually get a bit distracted by the beauty of the forest. For a deadly place it had it's spot of art that no one could denied it. Isuma would start walking on the trunk of the tree as he looked down and saw a walkway or path to better interpret it. He would jump down and land on the path as he would look at the road ahead of him and be amazed by the beauty of this forrest. The path ahead of him was magnificent the road was like dirt with small pebbles yet it had light green sharped grass that almost covered the dirt but not entirely. The trees made the path look like he was head down a mysterious road (Like when your playing a game  and there a boss behind this fucking amazing hallway that looks like is inside a fucking castle and at the same fucking time looks like a hallway of a hunted hospital and the walls are covered in black blood. >.> the poin is that the fucking path threw the forrest was good enough to give wet yourself a bit.) Isuma would stand up and slowly walk forward with his hands necks to his waist just looking ahead and at the tree's he would really engage in the beauty that he saw before him. He would look ahead and see the light of the sun blocking the view of the destination he was heading to. Isuma would pick up the paste and move a bit quicker for someone reason he wanted to get to where the light was coming from maybe it was the area for his to do his training Isuma would begin to walk faster and faster almost beginning to sprint. As the light was getting brighter and brighter.

Isuma was close, He took the last step before he jumped at least 30 feets ahead "This wasn't what i expected but it will do, I guess" Isuma implied as the area was a decent size for training  about 50 yards wide and from all sides which looked like a square surrounded by trees in a circular form with smaller trees and covered in bushes. Isuma would step in the center of the square and look ahead as he was disgusted by the let down I just rambled about. As he was focused at what was was looking from behind him a giant snake slithered it's way to Isuma, as it got ready to strike him. It stood up and open its jaw as the fangs came out.

Word Count: 490

Shinako’s concentration waned, and she allowed her senses to wander slightly, as she tracked her quarry through the forest. This training ground had been one of the first encounters between Naruto, Sasuke, and the infamous Sannin Orochimaru. There was history everywhere one looked in the Hidden Leaf Village, and it sometimes seemed more alive than the very inhabitants of the military town. So many Shinobi here felt like they were chasing history, and often lost the messages found in the writings of the Hokage of old. Fire over shadow, they continued to grab for power for power’s own sake. Reading the writings of the Third and the Seventh, one could easily see to their true motives. All of the world’s greatest Shinobi fought for peace, killing to keep the fire burning on in the Hidden Leaf. She wondered why she kept fighting.

The rustling in the trees slowed, and Shinako became aware of a dank, musty smell, almost like the zoo terrariums. The Kunoichi’s eyes darted around as she stuck to a sturdy branch, hugging the trunk of the tree for stability. It was the same scent that had clung to the massive monitor lizards; that of rot and carrion. From what she had heard about this place, Shinako guessed that she had picked up on the movements of a giant snake. A cold chill gripped her, and she remembered the story about the Seventh being swallowed whole by one of the overgrown serpents. She now felt a certain sense of urgency about finding Isuma. As a Genin, there was little hope that he would be able to fight off such a threat on his own. Even with her combat training in its current state of neglect, her prospects of surviving an encounter with a deadly predator were not good.

As she stood still Shinako’s ears strained to pick up on any sounds given off by the beast, and it took her several long moments to hear it slithering away from her, picking its way across some of the lower terrain. She recalled that most snakes hunted by smell, and an innate sense of heat. There was a certain irony to the creature giving itself away by the thick scent of its reptilian scales. Shinako pushed off of the tree-trunk and sent herself flying after the creature, bouncing from tree to tree with haste now, abandoning her original tracking tactic. At the very best, she would catch the snake preying on some other animal, but she could not take the chance that it had found Isuma before she had.

The thought of drawing a knife from her pouch crossed her mind, but Shinako thought better of it. She doubted that the weapon would do much damage to a creature of any size considerably larger than a person. There was a new technique that she would have to try to even slow down something like that. Her mind went back to her encounter with the bear on the outskirts of Konoha, and how she had been surprised at its speed. Her shadow possession wasn’t yet strong enough to hold such a massive attacker in place. As she sensed she was coming closer, the Kunoichi reached up with her right hand and removed the elastic tie which held her hair in its tight ponytail, allowing her black locks to cascade over her shoulders.

A few moments later, her keen eyes picked up on a distinct pattern in the underbrush; long swatches where the tender plants had been crushed. Variations in the light coming through the trees revealed an open space ahead of her, and she quickened her pace, catching sight of the serpent’s deep brown tail as it entered into clearing. It still had about forty meters of distance on her, and the sheer size of its tail scared her. After a few more seconds Shinako had arrived at the edge of the clearing and hugged a tree-trunk to remain stationary again. She saw the back of the serpent rearing into the air, looking down at some prey she could not quite make out. Something deep inside of her told her that it was, in fact, Isuma. No animal would have stood still in an open clearing. Her voice rang out clearly as she decided she would not be able to stop the serpent before it struck.

“Isuma-chan! Behind you!”

730/1,605

Isuma looked at the field as he rubbed the back of his head "What should i try first" Isuma said as he then crossed his arms thinking of what to train on for the day. As he heard from the distance a familiar voice "Isuma-chan! Behind you!” As Shinako yelled. Isuma turned his head as he saw the snake coming his way his mouth wide open just few inches away from Isuma. He would jump back but it was to late the moment he jumped back the giant snake bit down on Isuma, swallowing him hole. He was stuck inside the snakes stomach as he was slowly being digested he's face the snake stomach with his hands in front of him, he could move a bit. He had to try something before it was to late, Isuma made the tiger hand sign filling his lungs with chakra then exhaled as fire began to course threw the stomach of the snake until everything was set on fire. Isuma felt the snake shacking rapidly moving left and right as he began to see hole starting to open from the inside. Isuma began to shake also as the snake open his mouth and began to vomit him out slowly burning from the inside, Isuma felt to the ground covered in snake saliva. The snake shaked then its movement slowed down as it stop moving it just layed there motionless, dead from the inside.

"Awe come on, this is my new cloths, now i'm covered in snake saliva gross" Isuma said pissoff as he took of his sweater showing his skin, as he began to shake his sweater trying to squeeze out all the saliva on his sweater. As he stopped and looked at the tree above him looking at Shinako, just glaring at her. "Thanks for the warning, but you should have spoke sooner. Because of you I'm covered in saliva" Isuma said blaming her for what really was his fault in the first place in coming in to the forest of death. As Isuma put back his sweater on it still felt wet but atleast it was dryer in a way. Isuma gave his back to Shinako as he began to stretch his legs and back, Isuma looked back with his eyes not moving his body nor his head. Just seeing what would she do if she was coming down to talk to him or just stay up there and watch him.

Isuma would begin to train regardless  of what Shinako would have done. As he took out his kunai as possed a stance as he squared up with kunai in hand, right leg in front folded to hold his ground yet extended same with his left leg but he didn't extend his left leg he just turn it to a 90° with his right hand in front of his left hand and his face folded like his legs with his left hand behind his right hand yet in front of his face. His kunai was helded tight his pointing finger on the loop with the blade facing down. Isuma would dash forward saiminh at the tree like mannequin that stood in front of him, his attack was a vertical side slash then a direct stab in the center as he jumped up to the air making a back flip half way threw his back flip, Isuma pointed at the mannequin with his both his hands in the shape of a gun firing five bullets at it each bullet aimed for a specific part of the body on in the right hand, one in the left hand, another in the right leg, the other one in the left leg, and the last one in the forehead. As Isuma landed gasping for air a bit, he used to much chakra at once between the snake and now.

Word Count: 655
Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu
Lightning Release: Shock Bullet
Chakra: 150 | 125 Left 25 Used

The dark-haired Kunoichi watched in horror as her compatriot was swallowed whole by the serpent. Her feet froze in abject terror as she watched the coils of the giant snake twist and shudder to choke down the unsuspecting prey. Shinako knew precious little about snakes, and did not know if Isuma had been pierced by teeth, or crushed in its massive jaws. In fact, she did not know if there would be time to save the Sarutobi boy at all. She had one technique which might puncture its hide, but she was not quite close enough to strike.

As Shinako prepared to launch a last-ditch rescue attempt, the gigantic reptile paused unnaturally, seeming to turn a glassy eye in her direction. The gesture caused another few moments of hesitation, and the young woman was unsure whether she had been spotted. She stood still as a statue, and then the serpent began to shake and writhe uncomfortably. After a few more moments, much to Shinako’s confusion, the creature began to spew flames in her direction. Her muscles twitched, and she jumped ten meters to her left in an attempt to dodge before she realized that the flames would not reach her. Her surprise only grew as the flames lost their shape and a hideous hissing sound flooded the air.

Shinako squinted her eyes, and looked as closely as she could, finally determining that there was no way that the snake was producing its own flames. She gasped and continued to watch as the impossible happened right before her eyes. Soon the flames stopped, and the reptile began to wretch. Only one conclusion could follow, as improbable as it was. Only moments later, Sarutobi Isuma appeared, relatively unscathed, from the mouth of the beast. Shinako’s jaw hung open, and she took one long leap out into the clearing as the snake ceased to move. She reached out her left hand as if to steady or comfort the younger Shinobi, but then he started reprimanding her for having allowed his clothing to be spoiled.

The look of shocked compassion on Shinako’s face was soon replaced with a mixture of confusion and anger. The boy before her had been consumed by a giant snake and then spit out. He was lucky to be alive, and was more worried about his clothing. Then, without skipping a beat, the boy went back to his normal activity, setting up a mock target and attacking it. Shinako’s emotions shifted once more, and she was horrified all over again. How was this possible? Either Isuma was so emotionally damaged that he was unable to process what had just occurred, or he was traumatized enough to be unable to fully reckon with it. She watched as he performed his Jutsu, but did not focus on it. She was more worried about him.

“Hey….are you alright? You seem like you might be in shock, Isuma-chan.”

485/2,090

“Hey….are you alright? You seem like you might be in shock, Isuma-chan.” Shinako said as she worried about Isuma's current condition. Isuma was warned out of overuse chakra at once, he would fall on his back as he looked at the sky. As he began to loss sigth of where his at, he would try to pick up his arm but he would only lift it up a bit then it would fall back down as everything when dark. Isuma felt as if he was falling into a pit of emptiness, everything was dark and he couldn't tell where he was no longer. As he looked at his hands which he wouldn't see but he could feel them touching each other.

Isuma would rub his eyes but everything was pitch black. He began to move forward, putting his hands on his pockets as he walked a straight path. "What's going on here?" Isuma said as he stopped for a brief moment to reassure his situation. He didn't remember what just happen to him to be in this situation to begin with, so it was already a problem to begin with. He was trapped in this emptiness, This darkness, a feeling of dread came about. Isuma began to feel paranoid as he couldn't breath and was lossing his cool. As he touch his heart as if he was having a heart attack, yet he didn't feel pain nor suffocation. Isuma dropped to his knees as he began to remember his dream from this morning as he began to feel a dying feeling. As he could stay kneeling he felt to the ground again as he started to tear up. Water ran threw his cheeks from his eyes as he just layed there looking up, unable to move as if he was dying all over again but this time it felt wrong it felt like it was real. Isuma's eyes began to blur as he lost consciousness once again.

He would open his eyes letting a gasp out as he was cold full of sweet. His hair was wet and his hands and legs felt num. His heart beat was picking up again as he layed there looking at the leafs covered the most of the sun and the sunlight and a breeze that was cold yet warm. The feeling of being alive came back up to him as his eyes felt like they burn. Isuma finally woke up from his unconsciousness.

Word Count: 426

As the young man fell over, Shinako darted forward, catching his head before it hit the ground. She dropped into a half-lotus position, sitting on the ground with her left leg outstretched and her right leg curled inward. She used the padding of her inner thigh as a pillow for Isuma’s head as she surveyed the damage. His body seemed healthy enough, with no visible bruising or lacerations, and Shinako guessed it must have been exhaustion. Her dark eyes moved to his face, and she studied the expression there, wishing that she was possessed of slightly more advanced medical skills.

The younger Shinobi’s eye-lids fluttered, and she recognized that he was unconscious. Perhaps it really was the shock of having been nearly eaten, or perhaps his chakra reserves were simply low. As a Genin, she had often struggled with managing her own reserves, though she had never pushed herself to the point of unconsciousness. As Shinako continued to examine him, it seemed that Isuma was dreaming. The rapid eye movement was a classic sign of neural activity in an unconscious person. Then again, it was also possible that he was having a stroke, or a seizure. She was no medical Shinobi, though she aspired to be.

Reaching back around her waist, Shinako untied her sash. She knotted the end of it into a wad about the size of her own fist, and wet the knot with water from her canteen, making it into a makeshift sponge. It was slightly cold, and would help stir her companion back to alertness. The Kunoichi applied it delicately to his forehead and temples before drizzling some of the cold, clear liquid on the sides of his neck. After a few moments, Isuma stirred and looked up into the canopy of the forest.

“Welcome back….you scared me for a moment there.”

Shinako smiled softly, gripping Isuma’s left shoulder with her right hand, placing her forearm across his chest so that he would not try to move too quickly. With her left hand, she wiped the wet silk across his brow again, in an attempt to soothe him. In this situation, her father might have used his hovering hands technique and revived the boy in moments. Shinako remembered the warm sensation from when she was sick as a child, and the nostalgia almost welled up in her throat.

390/2,480

Isuma squinted his eyes as the sun light was hitting his eyes the breeze felt better. “Welcome back….you scared me for a moment there.” Shinako said as he look down on him with a worried expression, Isuma looks at her with a serious yet tired face as his yellow eyes stair into her brown eyes. She smiled in relief as she gripped his shoulder as he felt her arm on his chest. Isuma's eyes glowed from yellow to golden as his face began to blush, she still had her hair down which made her look more beautiful from up close. "... Thanks" Isuma said as he looked at the other side looking at the tree's he felt tired and weak at the same time yet he felt comfortable in her lap but weird like a mother's love.

Isuma would look back at Shinako and place his hand on her's as he picks it up and lifts himself up slowly. Isuma sits up still next to Shinako as he still holds her hand as he looks down on them, he feels the warm feeling in her hand and the cold feeling from his as he legs go of her hand. At that moment the sash felt to his lap, Isuma picks it up and gives it back to her placing it on her hands. Isuma slowly tries to get on his feet as he places his hands on the ground to gain equal balance as he stood up. He would turn to Shinako and extend his hand towards her as his seriousness turn to a happy grin. "take my hand is the less I can do for you Isuma said as he would pull her up to her feet. Isuma would bow as he showed respect towards her "By the way you should pick up your hair, it gets in the way of your beauty" Isuma said as he giggled a bit.

Word Count: 337[/color]

Shinako looked at the young man skeptically, brushing off the comment about her appearance after a few moments, deciding that he must have been concussed or something. Perhaps he meant it as a compliment, but it was inappropriate to say the least. After Isuma had helped her up, she cast her eyes around the clearing in which he had been training. Locating the sun, she oriented herself and determined what the fastest way out of the forest would be. He seemed to be fine for the moment, but Shinako would have preferred to have Isuma evaluated by a medical professional. She cleared her throat, deliberately moving on to the more pressing topic.

“Ahem….well then. I’m not sure what it was that brought you out here, but we should really head back into town. It’s very dangerous out here.”

Her eyes fell kindly on the younger Shinobi, but her tone was firm, indicating that she was in charge now. Shinako was not an authoritarian, by any stretch of the word, but this was for Isuma’s own good. Having seen the size of the giant snakes, Shinako was not particularly confident of her ability to fight one off should another appear. She paused for a moment, sniffing the air and listening. She didn’t hear the rustling from before, and all she could smell was burning flesh. The latter scent almost made her wretch. The scene was too disturbed for her passive detection method, and she quickly gave up.

Realizing that her back was to the tree-line, she moved closer to the center of the clearing in order to take up a more defensible position. This necessitated moving a bit closer to the smoldering corpse of the giant brown serpent. It was hard not to admire Isuma’s handiwork. Shinako guessed that the Katon jutsu he had utilized was on the outer range of what a Genin could do, but it was leaps and bounds ahead of any ability she had displayed at that rank. It was incredible that he had been able to fend off the snake by himself, but she doubted it was a feat he could repeat.

Shinako was reminded of the boy, Zinan, who had killed the bear the last time she had discovered a Genin in the forest. She wondered if the two knew each other, and if they might be competing in that jocular way that Naruto and Sasuke had in the stories.

405/2,885

“Ahem….well then. I’m not sure what it was that brought you out here, but we should really head back into town. It’s very dangerous out here.” Shinako said as Isuma heard her replying back "Well, I guess we have no choice but to leave. Is still smells like burn flesh this will attract more serpents for sure." As he would stretch his arms by touching his right feet with his left hand and the same but the opposite hand with the opposite feet. This would continue for a breif second as he watched Shinako made her way towards the burns snake as he looked at it. She seemed as she was thinking, analyzing, strategizing or maybe just looking surprised that a genin could take down a giant snake with a single blow. Isuma stopped as he walk closer to Shinako as he looked at the snake also remembering what just happen, lucky he was a quick thinker it could have gone terribly wrong at anytime.

Isuma over hears noise coming from two different directions as he turn his head to his back as he sees the bushes moving but slowly. "That must be another snake, of course they must be planing a hidden attack. Slimy little bastards" Isuma says on his mind, he turns his head slightly and whispers to Shinako "I'm pretty sure your already aware, but he was company and I don't think is the good kind." Isuma would say as he take two kunais from his pouch and grips them. "You are my superior after all, so I guess you have a plan to escape. I don't mind stay a bit a fighting but I still don't know if I may feint again if I over do it again but im not going to end up lunch for no slimy pest. I didn't come here to die to a reptile the Will Of Fire will shine upon my Fear Of Death." Isuma stated as he took a fighting stance.

The snakes surrounded the area. As one of them moved to the trees as the other one stood in the ground. They began to make noise making there presence known to both Shinako & Isuma to be prepared for a battle. Isuma watched the bushes and trees as they almost camouflage with the environment making there presences even more terrifying.

Word Count: 409

"Isuma-chan....stay close to me. Once I engage to snakes, try to run for the village. If I don't follow you, please send for Uchiha Kyohei to retrieve my body.”

Shinako could barely believe the words that were coming out of her mouth. Scarcely an hour ago, she would have never guessed that she would be facing her own death, and in such a sacrificial way. Her normal stalling tactics would not work here. Her keen eyes and ears caught on to the movements of the snakes, though she could see Isuma straining to locate them. The Kunoichi raised both hands, pointing her index fingers at the exact locations of the large reptiles. One had taken higher ground than the other, in an almost coordinated tactic. Shinako refused to believe that they were that sophisticated.

What she did know, from having seen the first one, was that they were impossibly fast for their size. By her best estimate, she figured that they could close the 25 meters between them on either side in a little bit over a second. The boy beside her was being brave, but she knew that they were in over their heads. Only one technique in her arsenal had the lethal stopping power to get them out of this situation, and she had never actually utilized it before. A cool sweat broke out on the back of her neck, and she clinched her hands into fists, flexing them before pulling them to her chest in the sign of the snake. The irony of the handseal was not lost on her.

It was not long before the snake to the left of the Leaf Shinobi rustled on its haunches and sprung from the trees. The one on the right was not far behind. The snakes were just as fast as she had predicted, and her aim had to be perfect. As the massive coils of scales and teeth descended on their position, Shinako’s dark hair snaked forth from behind her ears, forming eight long tendrils. The Ninjutsu moved only slightly faster than the serpents, and met them halfway between the treeline and their intended prey, producing loud crashing sounds as they struck. Shinako looked left, and then right, getting a better feel for where her attacking hair had landed.

Each tendril, upon making contact with the snakes, slammed into them at full force, stopping them cold and coiling around the massive serpentine bodies. As they constricted the massive reptiles, their ends became mouths full of sharp teeth, and each snake was bitten by four sets of jaws full of 2-inch fangs. The hair pulled taut, and pinned the snakes to the ground as they writhed, squeezing until they reached the base of the snakes’ skulls and plunged teeth into the flesh there. A hideous hissing sound filled the air, and the yellow slits that were the predators’ eyes bulged in confusion and fear as Shinako’s hair began to strangle the life from them.

“Isuma-chan! I think I have them for now. Gain some distance on us.”

Though her voice was calm, Shinako felt anything but comfortable in the situation.

520/3,405

Chakra 180/200:

"Isuma-chan....stay close to me. Once I engage to snakes, try to run for the village. If I don't follow you, please send for Uchiha Kyohei to retrieve my body.” Shinako told Isuma as he placed his head down thinking to himself for a brief moment as he thought of a way to get out of this situation without leaving her behind. "Sorry but I can't do that, regardless of the situation I must stay and help. I can't let someone die in vain specially for my sake." Isuma responded as he moved his eyes towards Shinako. She would stand there serious pointing at the snakes telling Isuma were they where located at. Isuma would look at where the snakes where or at least the one in front of him. As it made its way over towards them slithering threw the ground. As it began to move faster and faster getting ready to strike it open its mouth to cause fear in both Isuma, and Shinako.

Isuma would think of ways to attack but there movement where fast as they gain the advantage by terrain they where used to the terrain unlike Isuma. They made there way towards both Isuma, and Shinako, as Isuma would begin to make hand signs but it was a bit to late as black long needle like dentrils that moved at a quick succession. Isuma would stop his movement just looking back at Shinako as she was totally in charge of the situation, Isuma looked at her eyes as she had the same fear as him "Death" it was clear why she followed him here in the first place it was because they shared the same fear. He would look back at the snakes to see them laying down motionless in the ground. Isuma took a deep breath and let it out falling down on his ass. As he looked up at the sky "Another day, another change to live." Isuma rambled to himself as he knew the situation was clear but he knew he had to get up and make a move.

“Isuma-chan! I think I have them for now. Gain some distance on us.” Shinako said totally aware that she just took down two giant snakes like it was childs play. Isuma would stand up and begin to walk back towards the village. The forest of death was not a place to take lightly specially if it was by a genin but he was lucky that he was along with Shinako threw his day. He moved forward as the trees showed a path back towards the gates. He would looked around to make sure they where in the clear but he didn't need to worry that much it anything showed up Shinako would inform him. "Thanks." Isuma said to Shinakoas they made there way back to the gates. They finally got to the gates as he was glad that they made it out of there he turned back at Shinako and bowed "Finally here back... Sorry for the trouble I caused you. Ma'am? Isuma said and asked not remembering if she ever introduce herself to him. He would place his hands on his pocket as he made his way back home.

~Exit
Word Count: 556

The snakes had a little bit less fight in them than Shinako had thought. As it turned out, their final struggle was an uncontrollable shake against death. The light faded from their eyes, and Shinako felt slightly queasy. As Isuma made his way out of the clearing, Shinako nodded him onward. The Kunoichi let her chakra revert to its normal flow and felt her hair fall limp, returning to its original, soft texture and reeling slowly back to its normal length. The dark-eyed woman crinkled her nose slightly to avoid retching. The scent of blood, scales, and death clung to her like a thick fog, and she wanted nothing more than to leave this place.

As they approached the gate, Shinako followed Isuma in silence, though he seemed just as confident and calm as ever. The Sarutobi clan generally had a sense of warmth that Isuma did not seem to exude, and that made Shinako very cautious. He was more dangerous than he seemed, even at this fledgling level. His story would be one worth following. The dark shadow attached to the Nara woman’s toe shifted into the space between the two Shinobi, though she did not consciously will it to do so.

As Isuma fished for her name before walking off, she gave it almost reluctantly.

“Nara….Shinako.”

With that, she watched the young man walk back into town as though nothing had happened.

235/3,640