A dark glint in Daraku's eyes shone as he stared into the raging flames of the pit. The Door to Hell, a location revered as ominous and almost demonic to the majority of Sunagakure no Sato. Hardly anyone went there, because of the ever-present danger of those flames, but there were a brave few who weren't afraid. Daraku being one of them, naturally. He'd come here to wait for his squad, three Chuunin that were to be under his guidance until they ranked up to Special Jounin. He knew well that he wasn't the best teacher around nor one that was very patient with anyone, but he didn't see that as a bad thing in terms of being a sensei. If anything, he would be tougher on his students to make them stronger, and thus they would be better ninja in the end. His eyes shifted from the red hot blaze down to the blackened sand below.

Daraku had sent letters to each of the members of his squad ahead of time, so they knew that today was the first day of training. If one didn't show up, he had a special punishment in mind that would teach them not to be ditch training again. He smiled a bit at the thought of it. Aside from that, he'd been given a small bit of info about each of his students: Heero, Ganto, and Kokoro. This info was nothing more than their full names, their rank, and their completed missions, but that was something to assess them by beforehand. He'd get his first impressions on each of them today, though. He shifted and sat down in the warm sand, getting comfortable while he could. Hopefully someone would show up soon; he didn't like to be left waiting...

Training:

The sun, the king of the sky, had been sitting at its highest point for some time, shining with unending radiance. Encased in a cocoon of sheets, Kokoro twitched slightly. Her eyelids lazily fluttered open. She squinted, overwhelmed by the abundance of sunlight shining through the her window. She rolled on her bed and groaned before slowly pulling herself up into an upright position. She unabashedly gave a massive yawn, gaping her mouth wide open then slamming her jaw shut.

"Hmmm... What time is it?" she grumbled. Her thoughts began to gain momentum as her eyes glazed over her surroundings: the flowers and other flora decorating her room, her dresser half opened with clothes peeking out, an open letter. A spark ignited in her brain. Kokoro remembered the Team Transfer Notice she received a week ago. Signed by her new sensei, Daraku Matsuro, it announced that Toraika-sensei was taking a leave of absence and instructed her squad to meet Daraku-sensei at the Door to Hell. Kokoro searched her memories for the day she was supposed to meet her new sensei. It was today. Kokoro threw the covers across the room and stumbled onto the floor. "Crap! I gotta go now!"

* * * * *

Kokoro leisurely strolled through the endless sand dunes under the blazing sun, and the heat absorbed by her black hoodie felt wonderful against her skin. The visor of her purple cap shielded her yellow eyes. Bits of sand clung to the bottom of her jeans like barnacles to a ship hull. The walk was long but relaxing. Kokoro could not remember the last time she went to the Wilderness to take a walk, so she reveled in this opportunity. A huge, joyful smile was found on her face. Her long strides kicked up bits of sand.

She reached the peak of a sand dune and gasped as a cavernous flaming crater came into view. "Whoa... This is the Door to Hell?" she said, dumbfounded. Up until this point, she only heard stories of this place. Someone blew up the coal factory or some other kind of refinery and ignited a live methane line, fueling the roaring fires in the black sand without any end in sight. The sight was eerily hypnotizing to Kokoro. As she inspected the spectacle, her eyes locked on a single figure standing by the edge of the crater. "That must be Daraku-sensei!" She gunned in the direction of the massive crater. She nearly slipped on the way down the slope of the dune. Exhausted, Kokoro finally neared the Door to Hell after a minute or two of running. She bent over for a moment to catch her breath. Her bestial yellow eyes locked with his own dark blue ones. A cursory glance up close revealed a tall, chiseled man with his brushed-back hair dyed black on the sides, leaving a gold stripe down the center of his head. His chin was something you would find on a marble statue. "Daraku-sensei?" she asked between breaths. Pointing her thumb to her chest, she said, "K-Kokoro. I'm... really excited for training today." Kokoro's hesitancy was less about nerves and more about having enough breath to speak properly.

Daraku watched as an athletic young woman approached. He assumed she was the only female member of his squad; Kikawa, Kokoro. Her name had an interesting ring to it, but furthermore, her appearance was rather impressive. A powerful aura emanated from her as she took tasked steps to Daraku, although she did seem to have just woken up. Her long, dark hair flowed as she jogged. Eventually, when she noticed Daraku, she sped her pace into a short run to him. Their eyes locked, and Daraku noticed an almost serpentine pupil centered in both of Kokoro's yellow irises. She was no average woman, which made Daraku all the more excited to begin working with her. "Daraku-sensei?" she said, as if it was a question. Daraku gave his signature playful grin, let his expression soften, and nodded. She quickly threw her hand to her chest, using her thumb to point to herself. "K-Kokoro. I'm... really excited for training today." She was clearly still trying to catch her breath from her run there, but Daraku understood. He wasn't the "sensei" type, really, but in this case, maybe it wouldn't be so bad. It wasn't like Kokoro was new to the path of a ninja. She was a Chuunin.

"Glad to hear it. You seem to be the only one of my students who has shown up on time, which is wonderful for you, but it really pisses me off. I'm not a patient person, nor am I one that is readily forgiving. Point in telling you this is that Ganto and Heero, when or if they show up, will be getting their asses kicked. You and I are going to go 2 vs. 2 on them, that'll be the training session." The idea entertained Daraku; it would not only give him a chance to gauge all of their prowess in battle, but it would be an effective punishment for the other two because there was simply no way they could beat both Daraku and Kokoro together. He fancied a few other thoughts in his mind on how else he could torture the two, but realized that he had gotten lost in daydreams and was distracted. He turned his attention back to the young woman. "In the meantime, a few things. First, let's get to know each other better, and maybe have a little spar before the others arrive." He took a short pause, figuring what would be important to know about the girl in-depth.

Daraku decided to make his list of possible topics as broad as possible to give the girl some freedom. "Tell me about yourself. Age, previous missions, talents, chakra elements, hobbies, past experiences...anything of interest that you feel like telling me, really. I'm all ears. And feel free to ask any questions you have for me, I'll answer them honestly."

Training:

The burly man softened his stern expression and grinned as she panted out her question. He nodded. Thank goodness. I'm in the right place. Daraku welcomed her, and she tried to muster a grin, twitching her lips upward. He then revealed that he was pissed at the fact that she was the only one there at the moment, and Kokoro's developing smile disappeared. Her sensei then suggested a training session for the tardy squad members: a two-on-two match with Daraku on her side. Kokoro perked excitedly. She was dying for a good spar, and this would be one to remember. Pumped at the idea of fighting side-by-side with her teacher, Kokoro stood up straight, slapping her hands to her sides, and nodded. "Yes, Daraku-sensei-sir!" she shouted.

Daraku also suggested a quick sparring match against her. Kokoro's tall stature diminished, intimidated to her very core by the idea. However, she acquiesced to her sensei, shying away and muttering, "S-s-s-sure." Her sensei then shot out a simple demand: to tell him about herself. Simple as it was to most people, Kokoro had more trouble talking about herself than running a marathon. Her pale skin turned even whiter. She stammered, and her eyes wandered in every direction. "About... me...?" She thought about how she could make this easier for herself, albeit in a panicked manner. Maybe this is my first test, and I'm screwing it up so badly. She would not put it past him to have this be her first test. Her previous sensei had such bizarre methods of evaluation that she did not know what to expect next. She dropped her knees to the sand and pressed her palms onto her thighs. "Well..." she mumbled. "I'm f-fifteen. Um... I saved a cat, worked as a... a waiter... um... watched the library... I uh..." Kokoro's voice became softer and softer. Every second seemed to extend for an uncomfortable amount of time. "I... tried to stop a drug dealer, but he got away..." She tensed and bit her lip. Kokoro was never good at telling a lie. Her hands gripped her pant legs tightly as she spoke the words "stop" and "got away." Her skin flushed with a chilling sensation as she remembered that night. She was relentless with her blows. She could still picture the blood splatter on the brick walls of the alleyway. She could see his mangled, unrecognizable mess of a face and his limp, lifeless body. She could recall the unending tears from her face when her rampage was over.

Kokoro's voice petered into a rasp nothingness as she tried to think of the words to say. C'mon! Think! Think! A spark then ignited in her head. "Oh! I'm very strong. Very very strong. I'm really good at Taijutsu. Specifically Bokator and Jiujutsu." Kokoro enjoyed the warm energy that ran through her body. She barely stopped to breathe. "And, OH! I can swim very well, better than I can walk on my own two feet, actually. I see in the dark, and I could actually smell you from beyond that sand dune," she exclaimed, pointing behind her. "Elements? Um... Water and Earth. And for my hobbies, I like to collect flowers. I've been practicing making bouquets. I like just being outside and going on long walks and all I do is train practically all day. I meditate too. Underwater. It's the most relaxing thing I've ever felt." Her warm aura was gave her a rich, indescribable energy. She could not help but smile. "Um... So... How about you? Same questions?"

This place gave Heero the creeps. The spewing flames shot up all around and even though it was hot it was still enough to send a chill down his spine. As he neared the actual place they where supposed to meet he could see two figures there already, Kokoro he knew already from when they meet there old sensei and the fight they had a few days back, the other he did not know.

Heero finally made his way to where the others where and shivered a little. "Man...This place is cr..creepy.." He said to himself. His arm was still in a sling and his head was still wrapped up like a Christmas present with all the bandages on him. He had been to the hospital but, due to his fear of being there he had sneaked away as soon as he had got the chance. Heero put the letter in his pocket. It had been a few days since the fight he had with Kokoro but to him sitting cooped up in a room seemed like a eternity, His head throbbed as the flames danced in the air.


As He neared the group he looked down a little bit."...Sorry i..im late." Was all he said before sitting on one of the rocks. He hoped his new sensei would not be too pissed at him.

Kokoro was on-board with Daraku up until he suggested sparring with her, where she stuttered out a "sure". She didn't sound so sure, which made him chuckle. When he'd finished his laugh, she addressed his previous command and began to tell about herself. All that came out, though, were more stutters and stammers. "I'm f-fifteen. Um... I saved a cat, worked as a... a waiter... um... watched the library... I uh..." she said, thinking as she went. It was entertaining but almost disheartening. Note to self: Kokoro gets really nervous really easy. Finally she gained some resolve and grew a bit passionate. "Oh! I'm very strong. Very very strong. I'm really good at Taijutsu. Specifically Bokator and Jiujutsu." That was great news, and Daraku already knew about it to some extent based on the files he'd received on the girl when he was assigned to her as a sensei. If close-combat was her strong suit, then he could be a help to her. She went on to explain other things she did, including her proficiency in swimming, smell, training, and her affinities for Water and Earth chakra, as well as her interest in flowers. It was a good start to get to know her. She then insisted that Daraku answer the same questions.

"Alright, then. I'm Ishido, Daraku, as you already know. I come from the 'infamous' Ishido clan. I'm twenty-two years old, somewhat young for my rank. I'm six foot four inches tall. My biggest talents are bukijutsu, namely with uchigatanas and the like, and medical ninjutsu. I have some skill with ninjutsu, too. My chakra releases are wind, fire, and water. My hobbies are somewhat grim; I love fighting, violence, and competition. I have a bit of a stealing habit, but I promise I won't steal anything from you, since you're my student and all. My biggest dream is to be rich and powerful, and my biggest fear is probably commitment. I'm not one that fits the 'good guy' archetype but I don't think that's such a bad thing. This is just an introduction, so I'll stop there. You'll get to know more about my and...maybe more about my past, later on."

Just as Daraku finished his babbling, another person showed up on scene. A kid with brown hair and a sling on his arm. "Man...This place is cr..creepy...Sorry I..I'm late." Daraku wondered why he had a squad 2/3 full of stuttering introverts. He rolled his eyes and made a guess that this kid was Heero, seeing as the description of Ganto he'd received didn't have brown hair. "Well, well, well. Look who decided to show up. I'll give you credit, though, seeing as you at least got here. That Ganto kid is screwed if he sees me anytime soon." he took a closer look at Heero's sling. "What the hell happened to you? I had a whole versus match planned out but you can't very well train in that sorry state. Eh, I suppose we can work around it...reschedule the actual sparring for another time. Anyway, tell me about yourself, Heero. We're doing introductions and it looks like you're up next."

Training:

Daraku hardly responded to Kokoro, save for a chuckle when she hesitantly agreed to a sparring match. After she introduced herself, she sat in momentary silence, bathing in the afterglow of her waning energy. She awkwardly held her smile. D-did I pass?

"Alright, then," began Daraku. "I'm Ishido, Daraku, as you already know. I come from the 'infamous' Ishido clan. I'm twenty-two years old, somewhat young for my rank. I'm six foot four inches tall." Kokoro listened closely, still sitting on her knees. She seldom blinked. "My biggest talents are bukijutsu, namely with uchigatanas and the like, and medical ninjutsu. I have some skill with ninjutsu, too. My chakra releases are wind, fire, and water." She perked up upon hearing his specialties, and her mind began to buzz with possibilities. It would be beneficial to her to learn how to defend herself against a weapon user, who usually have the upper hand in close combat. She also was excited to hear that he specialized in ninjutsu as well, especially water, and she raised her lips into a smile again. There was always room for improvement in her ninjutsu. From what she gathered from Daraku's introduction, her sensei blurred the line between right and wrong, admitting to having a stealing habit but reassured her that he would not steal from her. He enjoyed competition, which Kokoro likes every now and then too, but she also stated that he enjoyed violence. Kokoro blinked again when she heard this. Kokoro did not know Daraku's past, so she did not seem justified to pass judgment, but it was that mystery, that limbo of trust, that troubled Kokoro. She did not know whether to be dubious or unquestioning of him. In the meanwhile, she respectfully nodded with each piece of information she heard.

Daraku's gaze then shifted behind her. Kokoro turned to see Heero with a bandaged head and an arm in a sling approaching the Door to Hell. Kokoro, without thinking, held her hands to her mouth. After a second of realizing her gesture, she placed them back on her thighs and tightened her grip. Her eyes softened in worry. She raised her hand and meekly waved. "Hi, Heero," she said in a whispery rasp. Last time she saw Heero, she was carrying him to the Suna Hospital for a blow to the head, one that she delivered in the heat of a sparring session. She thought he was going to miss the first training session, yet there he was struggling to make over the dunes. "Sorry I..I'm late," he stuttered. Kokoro's heart ached. At the end of the fight, Heero, who constantly tripped over his words, vowed to not be afraid any more and spoke clearly, unhindered by his nerves. Unfortunately, they seemed to return.

Daraku asked what happened to him and was disappointed that Heero came in a condition that made him unable to spar. Kokoro looked down at the sands and tightened her grip again. Her body became  rigid, and she trembled. She bit her bottom lip so hard that her sharp canine almost punctured it. She had to say something. "It's not his fault, Sensei. I-I-It's mine. We sparred... a few days ago... a-a-and I... hit him very hard... I'm sorry... Please don't be to hard... on him... please..." Her throat felt thick inside her neck. She could feel tears building up behind her cheek. Daraku probably did not mind, but Kokoro's guilt was beyond her control, and she could not see Heero blamed for something that was not his fault.

(OOC: Heero hasn't posted yet so I'm gonna go ahead and skip him. He's being left out of the training anyhow, with his injuries and all.)

Daraku was surprised to hear Kokoro speak up next, rather than Heero. "It's not his fault, Sensei. I-I-It's mine. We sparred... a few days ago... a-a-and I... hit him very hard... I'm sorry... Please don't be to hard... on him... please..." Daraku listened for a moment, crossing his arms as his gaze wandered from the girl to the injured boy. There was no problem with them sparring, and if anything, he was glad that Kokoro was strong enough to leave the kid with severe injuries, but that left him with Heero. Heero clearly needed some work. But the main problem with all of it was their shy, introverted attitudes. Daraku wasn't a fan of timid people, as they were no more than prey to him. The perfect targets. His students couldn't very well be prey. They would've stand a chance in the world of ninja acting like that, and maybe he was just the right predator to teach them how to adjust. "Oh, I see. Well don't worry yourself about it. It's not a major issue. One thing that you guys need to get through your heads, though, is that you're both ninja. You need to keep your heads up and be confident. Every stutter, every awkward pause, every uncomfortable glance, they're all signs of weakness. Timid ninja are the first to die in this game. I'm not trying to scare you. I'm just telling it like it is."

The Ishido's arms unfolded and his left hand slid into his pocket while his right hand met the hilt of Nisebi, which was strapped to his back. The undying flames of the Door to Hell surrounded them, leaving an unpleasant burning odor and ashes scattered through the air. Heero seemed to have found a spot to rest, and was reluctant to introduce himself, which left Daraku and Kokoro back to their training. "Now, Kokoro--eh...I think I'm just gonna call you Koko from here on.  Let's get to sparring. I don't want this meeting to be entirely useless in terms of training simply because Heero can't join." he said as he slowly removed Nisebi from its sheath, letting the silver blade shimmer under the intense desert sunlight. Not a cloud in the sky, just a pure expanse of blue against the dry, sandy landscape. His eyes focused on Kokoro. "I want you to come at me with all you've got. The goal is to take this from my hand." He lifted his hand to display the golden ring on his left index finger, adorned in yellow sapphires. It was his grandmother's ring that he had taken after killing her. It operated as a sundial but he hardly used it for any purpose other than showing off, as he was a big fan of jewelry.

"You don't worry about hurting me, and don't worry about me hurting you. If either of us gets seriously injured, I have medical ninjutsu that will fix us up in no time. Just keep your eyes on the prize, and try everything you can to get this ring off my finger. I'm ready whenever you are." Daraku said, as his feet shifted. He changed his stance and held his sword out in front of him in a defensive manner, with his left hand at his side. He kept a smile on his face the entire time with excitement from the thrill of battle, as usual. Despite only one person coming on time and prepared for training, Daraku could at least foster her potential. He'd get a chance to do so with Heero and Ganto some other time. Today was Kokoro's time to shine.

Training:

The sun stood halfway to its peak, and made the flames seem even hotter to Heero. He hated waiting, though he well knew it was one of the biggest parts of being a Shinobi. The air seemed to steam itself due to the heat and, that being what Sunagakure has always been was no surprise to Heero. The flames twirled in the sky as they danced back and forth. It was a good place as any to choose as any Heero supposed, still it was eery to be in such a place. Colors collided in his head as he shook himself back to focus. Reaching down Heero got a stick of pocky out of his pocket and brought it to his mouth, Chocolate always calmed his mind when he needed it too.

Heero snapped back to full focus as his new sensei addressed him for the introductions most squads do when they first meet. The pony tail in his hair swished back and forth as he shook his head to clear it. "I'm Kuroka, Heero and I Like Chocolate." His voice trailed off towards the end but, since confronting Kokoro and his self he was a lot better at not stuttering. He sighed as he scratched his head preparing what he was going to say next. He looked over to Kokoro and smiled after she confessed to hitting him. "Its ok, If I had not have fought you I would ne..never had faced myself. I feel now I'm ready to move forwards again.." He sighed a breath of relief, the worst was over and done in his opinion.

Heero paused and rubbed the back of his head with the arm that was not in a sling. He nodded as he shifted his body to face his new sensei. "I use ninjutsu and kenjutsu, however... im a little behind, I been working on it though!" He muttered towards the end. Truth be told he had managed to jump in skill with his kenjutsu recently, but he would have to wait to be fully healed to use it. He looked onward as his new sensei and his new friend discussed the terms of the 'test'.

His time would come soon enough.

((OOC Im back finally! Sorry it was such a long time.))

Kokoro winced and turned away from Daraku as if expecting a blow to the face. Her sweat pants bunched within her tight grip. She anticipated the worst punishment for her interjection. But she was greeted instead with a soft, familiar voice: Heero's.

"It's ok. If I had not have fought you, I would ne..never had faced myself. I feel now I'm ready to move forwards again..."

Kokoro turned to Heero, who made himself comfortable sitting on a rock. The flames of the crater crackled behind him. Her mouth softened into a warm smile, and her eyes emanated an aura of gratitude and love. "I'm..." she began with a mumble. "I'm glad I could help," Kokoro said, grinning.

Heero briefly introduced himself, sharing that he liked chocolate as the most important tidbit of information about him. Kokoro almost giggled, but the impulse was suppressed by her closed lips. Kokoro enjoyed chocolate as well, but it could not compare to the euphoria of digging into a hefty feast of meat. The mere thought made Kokoro's mouth water.

Daraku then addressed Kokoro and Heero. "One thing that you guys need to get through your heads, though, is that you're both ninja. You need to keep your heads up and be confident. Every stutter, every awkward pause, every uncomfortable glance, they're all signs of weakness. Timid ninja are the first to die in this game. I'm not trying to scare you. I'm just telling it like it is."

Kokoro's eyes were wide, and her mouth hung slightly agape. Her complexion became paler than usual. Every muscle of her body trembled. First to... die? Kokoro was commanded to control every nervous tick, every infinitesimal muscle contraction that controlled every shake, every pure syllable she uttered. She could climb a brick wall no problem. She could do an even better job of breaking it. But to break the wall of her nerves was a nigh unattainable goal. She slowly stood up. Her ankles wobbled. She cleared her throat and said, "Y-yes, s-sir, Daraku-sensei." A pang of shame washed over her.

Daraku then challenged Kokoro to try to remove his gold ring from his finger. He assured her that his medical ninjutsu would heal any injuries inflicted on either of them. That, however, did not assuage Kokoro's fear in facing an intimidating and powerful shinobi. Her sensei removed a silver katana from its sheath. The blade glistened in the unhindered sunlight. Kokoro shielded her eyes with her palm. After adjusting to the glare, she glared at Daraku and cracked her knuckles. Her gaze was a mixture of hesitancy and determination. Her stance became more light as she alternated her weight on each foot with a short hop. "Yes, sensei," she responded coldly.

With a handseal and a mighty exhale, Kokoro's lungs, which overflowed with Chakra, expelled a blue vaporous stream from her pursed lips. The mist, creeping its way through the dry air, stretched across the area, enveloping both Daraku and Heero in an near opaque haze. The generous sunlight that was once welcoming and visible was blotted out. The two were submerged in a dark shroud. To the naked eye, the opacity of the mist prevented most from seeing a few meters in front of him or her. Kokoro's own Chakra, however, was knitted deeply into the mist, allowing her to see what the mist had swallowed as refracted silhouettes. Kokoro grinned as she brought her hands into another handseal. There was an explosion of white smoke, and when it dissipated, 4 identical clones of Kokoro with frozen faces of sternness emerged. Without hesitating, 2 clones ran around the perimeter of the mist to Daraku's right flank and another to his left. Standing 3 meters away, the clones assumed a defensive position with legs apart and elbows raised to eye level. One on the right dashed forward and swung its right elbow towards Daraku's face. Immediately after its attack, the one on the left leaped forward into a flying double kick to his chest. The remaining one on the right gunned forward and swept its left leg for a kick to the knee. The real Kokoro watched patiently afar with her remaining clone, unblinking. Like a predator submerged beneath the surface of the water, she observed her prey and plotted her next move.

Jutsu Used:

Daraku softened his stance as he heard Heero speak up, introducing himself. "I'm Kuroka, Heero and I like chocolate." Daraku blinked and was unsure of what to think. Oh. Um...at least the guy knows what he likes. he thought to himself as another pause Heero's speech occurred. The boy seemed to have taken the pause in order to address Koko about their sparring match; he told her that it was alright and if it wasn't for her, he would have never "faced himself". It was all very cheesy and heartwarming and everything, but Daraku wouldn't have been as forgiving. Getting beat up is never a good feeling, even if it is a sparring match instead of an actual battle. Heero went on and continued his introduction. "I use ninjutsu and kenjutsu, however... I'm a little behind, I've been working on it though!" Daraku nodded. That was something that he and Heero held in common, although Daraku wasn't exactly "behind" in the arts. He could help Heero with that eventually.

With the introductions completed and the training about to resume, Daraku turned back to Koko and awaited her response to his statement about timid ninja being the first to die. She spoke up within moments. "Y-yes, s-sir, Daraku-sensei." she said, still somewhat timid judging by her stutter, but with a bit of confidence in her tone. She went on to accept his challenge to remove the ring from his finger. "Yes, sensei." There was a slight lapse as she formed a hand seal, and then exhaled a thick mist from her mouth; the Hidden Mist Jutsu, known for its use in Kirigakure. Daraku knew this technique only because he'd seen so many Kiri ninja use it during the course of the Seven Bells War. With the area covered in a dense fog, Daraku used the flames nearby to guide him by providing a light to follow. He moved closer to the flames but not close enough to get burned, and observed the area around him to stop any incoming attacks. He immediately saw toward figures moving toward him from the mist, prepared to attack from different positions.

Good strategy; but I'm not about to let clones get me. he thought, unsheathing Kage no Ken and raising it to the air. He began to spin the sword violently, with increasing speed that created a vortex of wind around him. The clones were within range, but Daraku wasn't sure if the real Kokoro was in this group or not; the mist was too thick to see which of the clones had shadows and which didn't. The vortex cut through his surroundings, causing both of the clones to fade away. He had gotten his answer as to whether or not the real Kokoro was among them, but that still left him with a question as to where Kokoro was. Without any time to waste, he ended his wind vortex jutsu and sprinted out of the mist so that he could see better. From the flames on his right to the expanse of sand on his left, a majority of the Door to Hell was engulfed in the dense mist; Heero seemed to be inside of it as well. Daraku wracked his brain to think of a strategy that could at least have a chance of getting to Kokoro. He formed a Ram hand seal and created a single water clone on his right. "Go." he commanded the clone. The clone took out its own copy of Kage no Ken and charged into the mist with the blade, ready to strike. That would act as Daraku's close range strategy; in the meantime, he formed a Tiger hand seal and built Katon chakra up in his lungs. "Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!" he called out as he blasted twenty small fireballs from his mouth. They scattered and entered the mist, moving towards the far side where he assumed she would be. Hopefully she would get caught by at least one of the fireballs, but he had his clone for back-up, if needed. With little other options, he waited for her next move.

Training:

 

Chakra Remaining - 262/325:

As the two clashed Heero realized he would not be taking part in the training, so in turn he rose to his feet slowly. He started the long walk back to Suna. In truth he should not have left with his injures and he could see that now. He would have to go and lick his wounds for the time being.

(( Exit thread )) (( sorry for holding you both up. MY job sucks ))

(OOC: Back!

Kokoro squinted, focusing her vision on the blurry silhouette of her sensei. As her first clone gunned toward him, he spun around rapidly. A monstrous wind spiraled around him and howled eerily as flurries of brown sand flew around Daraku. The force of the wind dissipated a thin layer of fog around the vortex. Kokoro shielded her eyes with the sleeve of her hoodie. The whirlwind blew her lengthy black hair back. She held onto her purple cap with her other hand. She heard the howling dwindle to a meek whistle. She removed her sleeve. The sand had settled. And Daraku and the clones were were gone. Kokoro looked left and right frantically. Sweat began to drip from her forehead. Where is he?! Where'd he go?! Her clone stood beside her on guard. Though her gaze was anxious, her stance was sturdy and still.

Her eyes locked onto a silhouette coming closer and closer. The detail came into full fruition about 5 meters away from Kokoro. Daraku, armed with a blade, charged towards the Chuunin and her clone. Both gasped. Both froze. What do I do?! His speed was frightening, and his close combat strength was immensely superior to Kokoro's. She needed to get the upper hand, and facing him dead on was not the answer. Kokoro slammed her hands together in a Ram seal. A warm overflow of Chakra gathered at her fists. "Earth Release: Double Suicide Decapitation Technique!" She plunged her right hand through the soft sand. Half of her arm was already submerged beneath the earth. Retracting her hand, she scooped a pile of dirt and sand. She plunged her left hand and dug even deeper. She wore away at the ground until she was submerged headfirst in a circular trench. She relentlessly clawed at the earth until she completely disappeared. The clone leapt backwards in an attempt to flee. Should the clone of Daraku choose to pursue, he would undoubtably reach the clone and cause it to fade from existence.

Kokoro's hands broke free from the ground, desperately grasping the open air. Her arms, like frightened burrowing animals, retreated back into the holes from whence they emerged. An explosion of sand shot into the air as she broke from beneath the surface and jumped, landing on her two feet. She turned. Her jutsu was unsuccessful at grabbing Daraku's ankles, as expected. Kokoro gave a brief inspection of her surroundings and was taken aback to see patches of fire spread throughout the mist. The distant fires glowed bright orange in the dense shroud.What did I miss while I was down there? She had little time to think though. She spun herself around to face where she thought Daraku was. By her guess, he would be 5 meters away. If Daraku was within her sight, she would gun towards him as fast as she could, which given her coordination on her own two feet was not very impressive. She would leap towards him in a double flying kick and give a harrowing yell that one would hear on the battle field. Unfortunately, Kokoro had yet to realize that the Daraku she was targeting was a mere water clone.

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The mist still hung in the air like a pestilent cloud, nullifying the sunlight and leaving Daraku's water clone blind. The clone didn't falter, and continued sprinting forward with weapon raised. A voice echoed through the area, one that he could easily assume was Kokoro's. "Earth Release: Double Suicide Decapitation Technique!" Sand around her made a low grinding noise as she forced her way into the earth, and although the clone couldn't perceive her physical form, he could utilize the audible cues and work around her technique. Time crawled by as he heard her hands reemerge, and he dashed to the right, nearly jumping right into one of the Door to Hell's fire pits, but missing it narrowly. A few burns were present on his skin, which was a bad sign as a clone. Any further damage and he would dissipate. He continued sprinting, seeing a new figure in his direct line of sight. This had to be the clone, seeing as the real Kokoro would've been the only one able to use Double Suicide Decapitation. He reached her within moments and swept his blade across her figure, cutting the clone in half and causing it to fade away. This left two Kokoros left, one clone and one real one. He turned around to face them, but because of the mist, couldn't see them or even tell which was which. He kept his blade up, waiting for their next move.

Daraku remained outside, his fingers still hot from the Phoenix Flower Jutsu that had passed his lips. It seemed that jutsu was a dud, as the mist had completely thrown his aim off. He wasn't quite sure what was going on in the mist or if he had the upper hand; hell, he wasn't even sure if his clone was still standing. But he couldn't just sprint into the mist and risk falling into a trap. Kokoro may have been a simple Chuunin, but she was a powerful one and a skilled ninja in general. She was no target to be taken lightly. He thought carefully about what to do next. Playing it safe was always an option, and he could wait until she emerged from the mist and went on the offense...but that was never a fun option. Daraku was a man of action, of reckless onslaught, and of violent retaliation. Defensive tactics weren't his strong suit, nor was waiting idly by for the battle to come to him. I'm not gonna sit here and wait for something to happen. Get ready, Koko. With his blue eyes set on the mist ahead, he ran forward and entered before sticking to the left end of the cloud.

Taking caution and being well aware of his surroundings, Daraku didn't hear Kokoro anywhere near him, meaning he was safe enough for the time being. Whether or not the clone was there, his plan was simple enough, and it would get rid of the mist. He reached into the hidden pouch on the chest of his outfit, pulling out a kunai. His finger was pressed tight to the edge of the kunai as he tied an explosive tag to the weapon carefully and activated it with a touch. He looked ahead to the center of the mist, and as the explosive began to glow, he judged where he could throw it to clear the mist without the blast hurting himself or Kokoro. His goal wasn't to kill, but to get rid of the Chuunin's terrain advantage. The glow was intense, and he could feel the heat on his hand, meaning that he had no time left. He threw the weapon skyward as hard as he could and used Wind Release: Verdant Mountain Gale to reposition it to hit right in the center of the sand. It made its mark in perfect time just before exploding. The blast created a shockwave that continued in all directions, launching Daraku back and leaving him face down in the sand. He got back to his feet slowly, and checked himself; there were no present wounds or burns, meaning that Kokoro would be fine as well. What he did see that pleased him was that the explosion had cleared the mist and the sunlight was beating down hard on his body. He surveyed the area, taking note of where Kokoro, her clone, his clone, and himself were relative to the fire pits and the rest of the Door to Hell. He also noticed that Heero had left, but he didn't concern himself with it. "Now that the annoying mist is gone, let's continue." he said aloud, with an arrogant grin.

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