Darkness... The darkness present in Aethir's mind, every source of sound causing some sort of ripple to appear. This place he was in looked eerily familiar, resembling Konoha...Only the skies were a dark shade of purple, the clouds black as could be. The ground, from small particles of dirt to structures build by the people of the leaf were all black, white lines outlining the shapes of the structures and items. Sprinting around the corner, Aethir threw himself against the corner's wall, panting as he stared down the black roads of the alternate Konoha. He he breathed, sounds were created, thus white ripples appeared on the wall by his face. He had to calm down or else it would find him due to the ripples. As he eyed the alley way, he noticed the ripples on the ground, at first faint, grew more and more visible. Aethir gasped as he heard it, the blood curdling laughter coming down from the alley way he had just ran down.

Slowly walking in such an odd manner, body swaying and leaning as he walking with such a wobbly manner, the male entity with bandages wrapped around his body appeared, sporting a green withered and torn jacket. His arms were dangling to his side with two large daggers, the man panting as he looked around with a REALLY unsettling smile. The other thing left exposed other than his mouth was his left red eye, shimming as it looking around wildly for signs of life. He slowly began to chuckle, laugh, and soon downright cackle like a mad man loudly, his body twitching in an unsettling manner as he continued down the alley way, towards Aethir's corner. Weaving hand seals, Aethir formed water clones on the other corner, on his other side. Five Aethirs ran towards the man, the laughter growling louder as the original Aethir burst into a high speed run, away from the battle. The clones did their best to hold off the man, however he was just too fast, reflexive, and too skilled with those daggers of his. If he knew jutsu, he didn't use any yet, from all the times Aethir had encountered this man in his dreams surprisingly... Aethir then found himself at a dead end, staring back at the man smiling wide to him, running over and beginning his onslaught of slashes on the ronin, the pain of the process seeming to have lasted for hours...or days as the bandaged man laughed...


Aethir, lying in a tree, inhaled and exhaled quickly, heart racing as he realizes it was yet another dream. "No decent sleep for ...three weeks now..." he groaned, slowly sitting up, the whole front of his body stinging from the nightmare. From his appearance, it was easy to tell that he had not been getting decent sleep, the ronin putting a hand over his sleep deprived face. "I really need to get to the bottom of these dreams." he sighed, lying back on the tree as he looked up to the blue morning sky. Morning...? Did he sleep out here at night? Aethir could of sworn he was in his bedroom... He shrugged, stretching and stood on the tree, balancing on the branch. He inhaled and exhaled, searching around the forest for any of his animal friends that happened to be near by. Seeing none of them near, he decided he'd head out of the forest, maybe take a stroll in town or something... He still felt the pain from the fictional man's slashes, but soon felt it fade away as the rest of his body woke up...

Word Count: 609

After meeting up with Antanas, Toshiko decided to go out training. He went towards the forest, and got out in a open space. He was getting ready to train, and train as hard as he possibly could. "Okay. This is it. You gotta get stronger today. Stronger than you've ever been" After motivating himself, Toshiko Got ready. He looked towards the tree, and formed the tiger hand seal. Then, out the corner of his eye he saw something in the corner of his eye. he saw someone sitting in the tree. He looked really familiar. It was the man. The man he had fought just a while back. The one known as Aethir. Toshiko wanted a rematch, but he couldn't. This guy was Anta's teacher. Maybe, Toshiko could even learn from this guy. He didn't know how to approach him on the manner, but he had to at least try. He jumped up to the tree, and landed on the other side of the branch than Aethir. "Hey. Aethir. I'm sorry about earlier. Anta told me about you. I didn't know. I know why you guys are leaving, and i hope that you are able to find your family. Here's what i'm really here for. I want you to teach me. Please be my sensei. I'll do anything to prove myself."

Word Count: 236

Aethir groaned lightly as he turned slowly to see the boy from earlier who he had beaten in battle. "...Hey, it's ...Uh..." Aethir eyed the boy before sighing, "Frankly, I don't even know your name..." he sighed, smiling as he scratched his head. "Huh? ...You spoke with...An...ta? ....Antanas....I see." He then heard him speak of odd matters regarding him and Antanas. "Huh? Find my...family?" he stared, thinking back to what he had told Antanas. "Oh, you mean my brothers. Right..." He smiled, scratching his head as began to think. "...Right." he repeated, rubbing his chin, appearing to be lost in thought before smiling back to the boy. "Ah, well it's alright. Misunderstandings happen to all of us!" he nodded. But then he crossed his arms as he heard the 'teacher' part. "Hmm...So you want to be taught as well...? Hmm..." Aethir was silent for a moment before shrugging and nodding. "Are you sure...? I mean...I can show you how to run fast if you want, hone your reflexes maybe, but showing my true methods is quite deadly." he nodded as he suddenly leaped from the tree and landed on the ground below. He then began to walk deeper into the forest, smiling confidently. "If you're ready to die, just follow me~!" he sung, walking oh so casually. If he were to follow him, Aethir would begin his training on how to move and react faster.

Word Count: 854

Aethir accepted his apology, and then went on to speak some more. He then told Toshiko that he could show him how to run faster, and how to react faster, but it would be deadly. Deadly? What exactly did this guy plan to do? That didn't matter. There was a offer on the table for Toshiko to get better at being a ninja. He would take anything that was thrown at him especially if it from this guy. If toshiko could remember from his fight, this guy was literally capable of blocking all of his jutsu by simply moving faster than it. His speed was unheard of. If Toshiko was going to learn anything about speed, he was going to learn it from him. "If you're ready to die, just follow me~!" What did he mean? That didn't matter. Toshiko smiled. "Hey! I"m Toshiko Uzumaki, and i'm gonna become Hokage one day! I'm not dying until then!!" After Aethir jumped out of his tree, Toshiko followed after him and walked right up behind him. "What's the training?"

Word Count: 190

Aethir stopped, hearing his name. Toshiko...uzumaki...was the name of this kid. And he spoke of being Hokage? Aethir shrugged, not really caring for rankings in villages. "Hokage, huh? ...Well good luck with that." he nodded, turning ahead, smiling wide. "Ah, but hey mister Hokage, don't let me stop you from training." Aethir, once again hopping into a tree, smiled down to the boy. "Hokage Uzumaki...Your training is to find a way to avoid getting eaten alive by that thing." Aethir pointed, a large centipede lowering from another tree's bark. It hissed loudly, it's paralyzing antennas swishing wildly as it detected yet another unfamiliar presence, the first being Antanas. "Better run while you can. It REALLY hates intruders in it's territory..." Aethir grinned as the centipede hissed, rushing over to Toshiko. It swung both of it's antennas, trying to stun the boy, that way it'd be able to suck the boy's blood dry, peacefully. Aethir, still in the tree, eyed the boy and insect, making sure to step in if this goes terribly terribly wrong. 'If he's hit with that paralyzing antenna, the contacted limb is done for a few minutes...' he sighed, eyeing the two, hoping Toshiko had some trick up his sleeves like his friend did...

Word Count: 1072

"Hokage, huh? ...Well good luck with that." "Thanks, but i'm sure that i won't need it! Hokage is my dream, and nothing is gonna stop me from that!" Aethir then hopped up in a tree and said he wasn't gonna stop "Mr. Hokage" From his training. Aethir then called him Hokage Uzumaki, and then said that his training was to avoid getting eaten by a thing. "What thing?" Toshiko looked over to see a insanely large centipede hissing as it came down the three. Toshiko said that he had to run while he still could, and Toshiko didn't take that long  to comply. Toshiko ran as fast as he could, only to be met by the centipede right behind him as it tried to stun him with it's static like antennas. "Dammit! WHAT THE HELL AETHIR SENSEI?!?!?" The centipede got closer, and Toshiko ran even faster. "This thing is gonna kill me!! Dammit i gotta get away!" Toshiko had to do this. He couldn't go faster than it though, so he would have to trick it. Toshiko waited until he came up to a opening in the bushes. Toshiko took a right, and left the path that the centipede was following. The centipede was going too fast to automatically turn, and crashed into a tree. It knocked the tree over, and continued through the bushes towards Toshiko. Toshiko was running out of options fast. He needed another route to take. What was he going to do? Could he possibly force himself to go faster? No. He was gonna have to outsmart this thing. Toshiko focused Chakra into his feet,  filled his mouth and throat with chakra, and the waited for a opening. The centipede was gaining in on him fast, but he had to wait for the correct moment for him to strike. he saw a tree come up, and then ran up it. The centipede followed him up, and that was his opening. he jumped forward from the tree, pushing himself out a bit more. He then turned around in mid air, and spit out a large circular cloud of hot mist upon the centipede. The centipede hissed loudly as it made contact with it, and fell to the ground. It's skin was mostly burned, but that wasn't the end of it. The centipede twitched for a bit, and then got right back up. Toshiko stared off in shock as it came right back towards him. Toshiko starunning once more as fast as he could. He wasn't fast enough. The centipede's antenna  him on the shoulders. Both of Toshiko's shoulders went out, and he started limping down. He jumped to the side into the bushes, and the centipede ran right past it. Damn..... my shoulders went out. His antenna knocks out body parts on impact? What am i gonna do? I can't outrun this thing......But i can't sit here either! There will always be a way!!!" Toshiko slowly got back up just as the centipede changed paths directly towards Toshiko slowly got up. He had one plan. Toshiko ran over to a tree, and stood in front of it. The centipede ran directly towards Toshiko, and Toshiko stood there and smiled. Just as the centipede was only a few inches from him, Toshiko spoke. "Now!" Toshiko jumped up in the air, hiding in the leaves upon the tree. The centipede looked up, and Toshiko came directly down with his foot high in the air. Toshiko then kicked down, landing his foot upon the centipede's head. The centipede fell directly to the ground, and laid there motionless. Toshiko looked back up at Aethir with a angry look upon his face. "HEY AETHIR WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?!?!? THAT WASN'T TRAINING YOU ALMOST KILLED ME!!!!!"

Word Count: 664

SPD E-3-> D(325/325)

REA E-2-> E-3(225/225)

Spoiler:

"Oh Konoha..." Antanas sighs, looking up at the blue sky. Feeling a pang of regret that he will have to leave here soon, he takes in all that is around him. Slowly walking in the main square he looks at the shops. 'Why would my dad leave all of this?' Antanas thinks, kicking the ground. Antanas then jogs into the forest, climbing on top of the highest tree he sees. Antanas lays back, and looks at the sky. What to do today... Sighing and watching a tree to his left. A giant centipede. Looking at him with its beady black eyes, Antanas puts some of his chalkra in a senbon needle, Antanas stares at it and watches it leave. Antanas then notices something else. "Are you sure...? I mean...I can show you how to run fast if you want, hone your reflexes maybe, but showing my true methods is quite deadly." Antanas heard a familiar voice talking. 'Is that... Aethir?' Peaking from behind a tree, Antanas sees his Sensei, along with Toshiko. As he watches Toshiko being chased by the centipede his dear friend had burned the centipede, then had gotten stung on his shoulders.. 'What is he doing?' Antanas squints a bit, watching him climb up into a tree. Watching him jump down and land on the centipedes head. Toshiko seems to think its asleep or dead, because Antanas notices it's antenna slowly creeping up to paralyze his leg. 'Oh no...' Antanas springs into action. From his high up branch, Antanas pushes himself off of the tree, making his decent toward the ground. Being so high from the ground, Antanas makes it to Toshiko, and attempts to tackle him off of the centipede. Watching the centipede spring back to life, coming right for them, Antanas yells, "Toshiko! What the hell where you thinking!?" Pointing to the centipedes head, covered in the goo it so often used to heal itself. "Those antenna paralyze you!" Telling Toshiko to get in the tree with Aethir, Antanas prepares to send this centipede back to its tree in the forest, as he had done before. Gesturing toward himself to the centipede, he says to the creature, "Bring it!"

Jutsu:

[366 Words Total]

Aethir smiled deviously as Toshiko began to run for his life, the centipede hissing wildly as it's antennas flailed. As he did battle with the centipede, Aethir was joined by a large gorilla in the tree. "Oh hey~!" he smiled to it, patting it's arm with a bit of force, the gorilla slowly turning to stare at Toshiko. "No worries... If he doesn't die, you can have you hand at it." The gorilla grunted as it bounced, eyeing the centipede. As Aethir saw the different tricks the boy had, he smiled...but soon frowned as he saw that the paralyzing antennas got him. 'Uh oh...' Aethir said, slowly rising to a crouched position, ready to jump in. As the genin seem to be able to handle himself, kicking the centipede to the ground, Aethir sighed, relaxing. 'Well, he knows how to fight...That's a relief...' he smiled, then looked surprised as...Toshiko...seemed to be yelling at him. "Me? Kill you?" Aethir laughed, shrugging, "No no...That is just one of my methods of becoming stronger. Faster. More flexible. And I didn't try to kill you..." Aethir pointed by Toshiko as the centipede hissed, trying to sneak a paralysis on Toshiko's leg.

Suddenly, Aethir was surprised to see Antanas appear. 'Huh... Oh that's right, it is morning isn't it? ...Damn...' Aethir snickered while eyeing the two before him. "Antanas! Pleasure to have you! Good luck at ...uh....oh boy..." Aethir went silent as the centipede let out a loud his, obviously remembering this boy. As a result, the prickly Antennas created sparks connecting with one another, slowly rising to the tips of the antennas as the centipede's legs refused to stop moving quickly in place. The sparks continued to be creates as each antenna took aim at a boy. 'I know this...This is it's stealth technique...' Aethir eyed the insect as it hissed once again, 'It builds an electrical charge in it's antennas, shooting a small bolt to it's targets from far away...It doesn't hurt, at least I didn't feel it...but then it swoops in to eat the paralyzed target' Aethir nodded, recalling his survival days in this forest, '...But why use it this close I wonder? Maybe it's just pissed...' Aethir smiled, now standing, ready to jump in just in case either boy was struck with the nearly unnoticeable paralyzing bolt as it fired at them...

Word Count: 1487

Just as Toshiko thought he had won, Antanas appeared on the scene. Toshiko smiled, and held a peace sign in out in front of him. Antanas didn't respond in the way that Toshiko had expected. "Toshiko! What the hell where you thinking!?" "What're you talking about?...." Toshiko heard a hiss behind him, and slowly turned around to see the large centipede aiming one of it's shocking antenna down at his leg. Toshiko jumped up into the air, skipping the antenna and landing on a tree branch. What the hell? No way! It was dead! I know it was!!! The centipede then rushed Toshiko in the tree. Toshiko Jumped out of the way, and landed on another tree branch. Toshiko then looked back towards Antanas. He would need his help to defeat this thing. His arms were still completely out, and he didn't have a wide variety of jutsu left to use without them. "Anta! If you've got any fire jutsu, Use them right now!!!
" Toshiko had a idea. If he could use his mist jutsu or another fire jutsu, and collide it with Anta's, that might actually be enough to at least incapacitate the centipede. Toshiko filled his throat with chakra as he inhaled, just as the centipede was coming right for him. After his mouth and throat were filled with chakra, Toshiko jumped from the tree that he was in. The centipede collided with it, and fell to the ground disoriented for a few moments. Toshiko then ran directly in Antanas's path, and the centipede was right behind him. Toshiko waited for the right moment, and then when there was only 2 feet between him and Anta, He jumped above anta's head and spit out 10 small balls of fire directly towards the centipede.

Word Count: 314

Spoiler:

"Anta! If you've got any fire jutsu, Use them right now!!!" Toshiko says as he sucks in his breath and shoots 10 miniature fireballs at the giant bug's back. "Toshiko! I said second degree! You're just making it mad!" Antanas yelled at him, climbing up the centipedes back. Avoiding its antenna that would paralyze him, he makes the tiger hand seal, and jumps off of its back. Still looking at the centipede, Antanas begins to blow out a 1 meter cone shaped stream of fire as he fell down the centipedes back. As he moves down the body, he sees the flesh and skin begin to bubble right off of the centipede. The skin that wasn't burnt gets a red tinge and begins to peel around off of it's body. Hearing the screech from the centipede was the worst part. It sounded as if the giant ape he had fought before was scraping its nails against the world's largest chalkboard. The creature began to scurry away, the sticky muscle tissue from the bug beginning to coat itself with its healing goo. As the gooey, defeated creature slinks away, Antanas looks at Toshiko. "That's a second degree burn." he then jumped up to Aethir and patted him on the head. "A little bit worse of a burn than last time huh?"

Jutsu:

Cooldown:

[623 Words Total]

Aethir smiled to the two boys as the centipede began to retreat and heal itself once again. 'Oh boy... Now I know it's upset...'  Aethir shrugged, soon seeing one of the boys in the tree with him. Aethir casually looked over to a nearby gorilla, the same Antanas had done battle with... However, it seemed to pay no attention to either boys, staring mostly at Toshiko instead. 'Ah, that's right... You've already had your thrill with this one...' Aethir looked back at Antanas, nodding mostly to himself. "So you both know fire jutsu, huh?" Aethir spoke as he stretched a bit. As he did this, he was glad to be able to hear a near by 'slinking' sound, Aethir already know what it was. He smiled, yawning loudly as the slinking grew louder and louder, Aethir already aware of the creature's strategy of attack... But before he acknowledges it's present and lead his ...students...over to it, he had to ask.

"Toshiko!" Aethir shouted so that the boy could hear, "How are you holding up? Hmm? Same goes for you." he turned to nod to Antanas as he said this, awaiting their answers. Depending on what they said, he would allow them to continue their 'training', slowly progressing higher and higher on the predatory list until they were finally able to take the 'boss' of the forest. Aethir stretched once more, the sound coming to a stop, taking this as a sign that the unknown creature had spotted all three of them. 'Alright... Any day now, boys...' he spoke, eyeing Antanas and Toshiko, back and forth, 'I don't think this thing has the patience to let food go to waste...' he inhaled, checking around himself curiously before putting an index finger to his chin to ponder on some things. If the genins said they could go on, Aethir would...'introduce' each party to each other, wanting to see how they'd fair against -it-.

Word Count: 1817

After Toshiko's blow landed, Antanas complied, shooting out his own Fire Ball jutsu. The bug started to shake and burn, and started coating itself with it's own muck and goo. While doing so, it sunk away, defeated and out of Toshiko's mind. Toshiko nodded to Antanas. "Good teamwork." "Toshiko!" Aethir called out to Toshiko, and Toshiko looked over to him. "Yea Aethir Sensei?" "How are you holding up? Hmm?" Toshiko smiled, and then gave Aethir a thumbs up. "I'm not going down! Not yet! What else ya got? Hit me with your best shot i can handle it!" Just as Toshiko spoke, There was a strange sound. What was this? Was this part of the training? toshiko turned around, and saw the grass shaking. He couldn't make out the sound, but he got in a fighting stance. His arms were still out, but he was regaining his control over them. This thing would have to be stronger than the centipede, and if that was the case Then Toshiko would have to give it his all.

Word Count: 189

After the burnt and angry centipede crawls away, screeching and glaring at Antanas every so often. Smiling to himself and waves at Aethir. Just then Aethir asked them how they where doing. Toshiko yells out "I'm not going down! Not yet! What else ya got? Hit me with your best shot i can handle it!" Antanas sighs, and smiles. "Yeah I can take anything you throw at me." Just then, Antanas hears a sound. It started in the distance and he thought it was something else. Now he was sure of what it was. Setting his chalkra infused senbon in its small launcher, Antanas was ready to make a quick substitution if he needed to. Standing next to Toshiko, Antanas gets in a fighting stance and waits for this massive creature of the forest to reveal itself.

Jutsu Cooldown:

[761 Words Total]

Aethir smiled at the answer of the two boys. 'Well, they have heart... But there's a difference between courage...' Aethir looked over to his right, listening for something. 'And stupidity...' Aethir looked forward before he let lose a loud shriek. It was unlike him to scream so high pitched, causing the birds to flock nearby. Suddenly, a loud groan came from above the boys, a large slug crawling down the side of a tree near Toshiko. 'They love to use fire jutsu. So let's see how they do against fire's natural enemy...' he smiled, knowing fire won't do ANYTHING to this slime covered slug. Thick liquid dripped and ooze that prevented fire from burning the creature due to is dousing and smothering the flames on contact. Aethir awaited the boy's reaction, wanting them to see that their fire tricks were useless. "Hey~! You guys like fire jutsus right~? I don't know, that thing tooooootally looks flammable! Give it a try~!" Aethir smiled, turning away with a typical face a liar makes. This should cause them to try to use fire, or ...maybe they were smarter than Aethir thought. He slightly doubted this... The slug clung to the tree as foam began to appear under it's body, multiple large bubbles soon rising from under it's thick slime and floating towards the boys. If the bubbles made contact, they'd be trapped inside the thick prison, Aethir being pretty sure that they won't be able to escape. He was also pretty sure that they wouldn't be able to 'burst' the thick bubbles with their fire techniques. 'Unless...' Aethir tilted his head slightly at the two, 'One of them has a raiton technique...Or a C-Rank technique other than fire or water... Then they can defend themselves...' he smiled to Toshiko and Antanas, not yet revealing the slug's weakness. If they were trapped, it's not like it'd be over for them... Only if the slug gets close enough with it's TERRIBLE speed, then it'll be over due to them soon lacking blood. I guess this 'slug' is more of a hybrid of a slug and leech. He waited if either of them needed help.

Word Count: 2194

Toshiko then heard a insanely loud groan coming from above him. Slowly, he looked up to see a gigantic snail crawling down a tree. It was insanely slimy, and it's liquid coated the tree that it went down. "Hey~! You guys like fire jutsus right~? I don't know, that thing tooooootally looks flammable! Give it a try~!" Toshiko wasn't that dumb. Aethir was just screwing with them. Either that, or he was testing their skills. Fire would do nothing to this giant thing. What could Toshiko do? The only thing that he could think of was a water jutsu, but he didn't have any to his name. Wait..... There was one thing he could do. He looked over To antanas, and nodded. "I got this thing." Toshiko held his hand up a few inches from his face, and pounded his chakra into it. His chakra converted to lightning, and Toshiko smiled. "Lightning Style: Lightning Strike!!!" Toshiko held his hand out, jumping backwards and fire his bolt of lightning at the snail. It hit this snail's side, drying up the slime in a small area, and knocking it over.

Word Count: 199

Spoiler:

Looking up along with Toshiko, Antanas sees the massive slug above them. It was a disgusting blob of slime. 'Dammit.. Fire jutsu will just get put out..' Thinking quickly Toshiko used a lightning jutsu, and dried up the area where it hit. 'Maybe this will work...' Antanas begins to suck in his breath, feeling a deep gurgling in his chest. Hitting his chest once, Antanas sprays mud in the stalks of the giant bug's eye stalks as well as in its face. The slug gurgled as he continued to spray mud, eventually running out and watching to see what would happen.

Jutsu:

Jutsu Cooldown:

[863 Words Total]

The gurgling grew louder as light sizzling could be heard from Toshiko's lightning technique. Aethir grinned as he saw both boys...totally ignore the bubbles floating towards them. Sure, they already took care of the source of the bubbles, the underside of the slug, and the slug itself, but the bubbles already made were slowly lowering towards the boys. As Aethir expected, they enveloped the boys, imprisoning them inside the slimy spheres. Aethir nodded as he slowly got up, watching the slug slowly roll onto it's belly side. Near it's mouth area, it's slimy skin started to peel back, the mud from Antanas' jutsu rolling back with it. Suddenly, four red cords of some sort started to dangle, whipping around before attempting to enter the bubble prisons of the boys, getting closer as the slug SLOWLY but surely moved over to them. 'They're going to get drained if they don't move it...' Aethir nodded, rising, the gorilla still next to him remaining surprising quiet. 'If they don't do anything to free themselves, I'll enter. A simply D-Rank lightning, or C-Rank jutsu should get them out...But water and fire would do nothing to those bubbles or the slug...Hmm...' he nodded, mentally scrolling through his arsenal of jutsus in his mind, eyeing the leech slug.

With mud on it's body, loud 'groans' almost came from the slug, large globs of slime pushing the mud off it's skin so that it could soon continue it's bubble prison production... 'Sorry Toshiko, but you'll something stronger than that...I wonder if these guys have a B-Rank technique...' Aethir eyed the two boys in the bubbles. 'Of course they can use a D-Rank lightning and C-Rank jutsu to escape, a B-rank jutsu would put that thing down for the count...Unless...' Aethir eyed Toshiko, remembering their spar, gasping as he remembered a technique he used. The lightning javelin. 'He has that lightning javelin technique doesn't he? If he knew how to form it into one bolt- ...Wait, does he even know how to do that? ...Oh crud...' Aethir smiled nervously, preparing the lightning javelin just in case Toshiko didn't know how to make the large bolt...

Word Count: 2576

Toshiko didn't expect what happened next. Antanas took advantage of the opening that Toshiko created, and spat out mud directly on the snail. Toshiko nor Antanas paid any attention to what would become a large problem for the both of them. Two, large balls of slime connected with both Antanas and Toshiko, trapping them inside. Toshiko looked around, and started pounding the bubble to no avail. The snail then rolled on it's stomach, and opened up it's mouth. There were four strange red cords that slowly entered both of the boy's bubbles. Toshiko didn't know exactly what was going to happen if he got touched by them, but he knew it wasn't good. This thing was trying to make them it's snack. Toshiko couldn't let that happen. He backed up to the other side of his bubble, and looked over to Antanas. Toshiko couldn't let anything happen to him. His goal was to protect his friends and that's exactly what he was going to do. But how was he going to get them out of the situation? He had to think. His brain was the only thing that was going to get him out of this situation. He knew the snail's two weaknesses were lightning, and water. He had no water jutsu to his name, and neither did Antanas. But he did have lightning jutsu. His lightning strike wasn't going to work this time. He'd need something bigger. Better. More effective. A sure shot. There was only one thing that he knew of that might be able to work. The lightning javelin. The last time he used it, he was fighting off Aethir. It didn't work on Aethir at all last time though. But why......Toshiko remembered in detail of what had happened. He fired all three of the lightning spears directly at Aethir, and Aethir countered with his own lightning javelin jutsu. But his was substantially different. he didn't fire the three like it usually did, he combined them all into one large lightning spear. After firing it, Aethir's large spear was powerful enough to negate Toshiko's spears altogether. That's when the idea came to him. He knew what he had to do. Toshiko backed all the way up in the bubble, until his back was pressing the other end. The strange red cords were gaining in on the two, But Toshiko had to save his friend. Toshiko charged up his chakra, and formed the three spears. One above his head, and one of each side of him. Toshiko Then started to manipulate his chakra into one area, forming them all into one large spear and holding it in his hand. Toshiko then went back, and rammed his body into the bubble. The bubble collided with Antanas's knocking his bubble out of the course of the red cords. Toshiko Held his spear up, and got ready to commence the next part of his plan. As Toshiko planned, the snail turned it's attentions on him. It got extremely close to him with the red cords, and they touched his chest. The blood inside of him was quickly drained, And Toshiko felt himself getting weary. He had to continue on. He went back a bit, and then ran forward, spear still in his hand. the bubble moved up into the open snails mouth, and the snail closed it. Toshiko was inside the insanely large mouth of the Snail. The bubble and Toshiko were the size of a mere moth ball in it's mouth. It's mouth was covered with remains of food, slime, and a bit of acidic revenue. Toshiko looked up at the top of the beasts mouth. He was running out of blood fast, but he had to do this. He only had one shot. "GO!!!!" Toshiko cocked his hand back, and then pushed it up forward throwing the lightning spear directly up. His target, the snail's uvula. The large lightning spear had to do the trick. It would take most of Toshiko's chakra. It collided with the snail's uvula, and sent a large shock wave through it that sent a after shock throughout the snail's body. That wasn't all that it did though. This was the second part of Toshiko's plan. As his bolt hit the uvula, it caused regurgitation just as it would with any other being. The slime in the stomach of the Snail came up into the mouth, and erupted upon Toshiko. the bubble around him burst, and He was caught in the wave of slime. It went upward towards the snail's mouth, and then let Toshiko out onto the ground of the forest. The snail them shook, and fell over completely incapacitated from Toshiko's blast. Toshiko laid out on the ground, weary from his loss of blood and over usage of chakra. He did it. He'd defeated the snail, and managed to prove himself. Toshiko stood up from the pile of slime, facing Aethir. He then looked at him, emotionless for a few moments, and then smiled as he held up a thumbs up. Toshiko then lost his balance, and fell over into the slime passing out in it.

Word Count: 888

Spoiler:

SPD D-> D-1(325/325)

REA E-3> D(300/300)

After spraying the mud onto the giant slug. Feeling successful, Antanas then gets stuck into a bubble. Antanas didn't have any jutsu that would allow him to escape, so he relied all on Toshiko. The massive slug rolled over on its side, revealing disgusting little pores that the slime came out of. Just then, several small cords slowly slipped out of the slugs mouth and began to move toward the bubbles. Smacking the sided of the bubble, Antanas was trapped. He realized that the only way they could survive was if Toshiko could save them both. One of the cords entered Toshiko's bubble, and the boy looked like he was thinking. Once Antanas got thinking as well, he was the only one with lightning techniques. He knew that his friend would use something big. Maybe he had a new way of doing another lightning jutsu? Whatever the case was, if Toshiko couldn't save them, they would fail. Antanas watched as Toshiko backed all the way up in the bubble, pressing the other end. Antanas watched as he took 3 lightning javelins and turned them into one single spear. 'That is amazing!' Antanas was thinking as he watched Toshiko's plan roll in to action. He smashed into the size of Antanas' bubble, which shot him to the side, bouncing until smacking onto a sharp branch with a loud pop. Recovering his balance, Antanas saw one of the red cords got him. He was slowly being pulled into the giant mouth of this creature. "Toshiko! No!" Antanas screams at the monster, watching what it was doing. But then he noticed something odd. The slug began to slightly convulse, and then its body began puffing up. Then a bubble shot out of the monster along with goo and other disgusting food products. It looked like there had been animals and even... Human remains inside of this beast. As the snail spit these items out, it started twitching on the ground, soon slowing down and dying. The giant beast stopped emitting it's slimy bubbles. Toshiko was laying on the ground in a pile of the vile slime. He stood up and smiled at Aethir. Holding up a thumbs up, he began to fall. Running as fast as he could, Antanas could not catch him before he hit the ground. Gently picking the boy up, Antanas brings him over to the bottom of Aethir's tree. "Do you think he is going to be okay?" Antanas asks his teacher, then asking "I'm going to take him to a hospital if that is alright." Looking up while holding his friend, He waits for his teacher to respond. 


Just then, Antanas saw something. He saw someone that looked a little bit like him. That boy was getting beat up during some sort of exam. Then, a child from the hidden mist pushed the bullies away. Shaking hands, Antanas could hear fragments of conversation. "When you....older.........come.....mist" Was all Antanas could make out. Looking closely, he could see the boy who was bullied carving something in the man's forehead protector. It was the initials, IK. Wait... These are the initials of his father... What was Antanas doing seeing this? Running up to the two, they both look at him. "What are you doing here?" They both ask at the same time. As soon as he thought everything was over, Antanas gets punched in the face by both of them at the same time.


Antanas feels himself falling. A slow falling, like you have landed on the ground. Only this was from something else. Something that Antanas couldn't explain. All he felt was a sharp push and he went sliding backwards, smashing the back of his head on a tree. Next thing he knew, he had slipped on the goop on the ground, the same way his poor friend had. Well, now it was up to Aethir to carry them both to the hospital. For that brief moment, Antanas felt bad for the guy, always saving them or fighting for them and whatnot. But of course, he had agreed to teaching them. You could say it was his own fault. Laughing at this, he then felt a sharp pain in the back of his head, and everything went black.

Aethir smiled as he saw the events before him unfold, smiling at Toshiko's thumbs up, then raised an eyebrow as he saw both the boys passed out. 'Sheesh...I think the slug was too much...' he sighed, rubbing his eyebrows with his index and thumb. As he hopped off the tree, the gorilla rose and began it's way back into the forest, grunting as it swung from Aethir's tree. The ronin eyed the slug as it appeared to be only resting, Aethir grinning. 'Well...it was good enough to knock it out...Ah well. Speaking of knocked out...' Aethir smiled down to the two boys, slowly crouch down to pick them up. Before picking them up however, he placed a hand on both of their foreheads, feeling to see if either of them had caught a feverish virus from the slug. 'Hmm....not from what I can tell...' he shrugged. He withdrew his hand, slowly putting both genin boys over each shoulder. With a quick puff of air, he turned to face Konoha, slowly making his way towards the nearest hospital since he had no clue where either boys lived.

As he continued to walk, Aethir heard a light grumble from above, turning to see a black panther eyeing him from the branch. He chuckled before looking at Antanas and Toshiko with a look of approval, soon looking back at the panther. "And would you say these two would be welcome in your forest?" the panther roared loudly, swiping it's claw almost in disgust. "...I see. I see..." he smiled, continuing his walk. However, he stopped again, hearing the panther purr, causing him to turn once again. In the tree with the purring panther was another man dressed in all black, glaring down at him. Aethir...simply nodded to the man. "Iwagakure. I'm aware. I'm going... I'm going..." he simply stated before walking towards the forest exit. As he entered Konoha with the two boys on his shoulders, he began to think. 'I should really stop wasting time with teaching.' he inhaled, slowly making his way inside the hospital. As the boys got situated, Aethir slowly found himself resting in a nearby chair, his own energy seeming to be drained somehow. 'I mean sure, they're getting better, but... I really need to know what's going on with me.' he simply closed his eyes, feeling them become heavier and heavier, Aethir soon falling asleep in the hospital's waiting chair, bound to have another nightmare again...

Fearing said nightmare, his eyes quickly opened as he sat in the hospital chair, thinking about what he should be doing. 'Let's see...' he began, lining up his options mentally, 'I can go to Iwagakure...and figure out what the heck's going...' he nodded then looked down the hallway of the hospital. 'I can go to Kirigakure and assist Antanas...' he nodded, soon catching the attention of a nearby nurse due to the nod. He soon apologized, not meaning to get her attention, returning to his thoughts. 'Or I can stay in Konoha, and find out what's the deal with that girl...' he inhaled deeply, the coughed, smelling the scent from the slime Toshiko and Antanas were covered in. "Or you know, I could totally go and take a shower...yeah...let's do that..." the ronin spoke, rising from the hospital chair as he made saw way out. Whatever Aethir did, he'd have to do it soon. Everyday was another day wasted, the ronin feeling slightly annoyed that he made no progress in anything yet. "Great...alright..." he spoke aloud, sorting his thoughts. After bathing, Aethir would probably stick around Konoha to solve the mystery of that woman he saw... and then afterwards, he'd have to pick. Iwagakure...or Kirigakure... Then again, Antanas was leaving when he was a chuunin, which caused Aethir to nod to himself. "If I solve Konoha, run over to Iwa, and come back, he might be a chuunin by then...right?" he spoke to himself aloud, possibly having a clue as to what he is to do. 'But if he's chuunin before I leave...then I'll go with him. Yeah...' Aethir smiled, nodding to this solid plan. Aethir then stopped... "Wait, it's not like I promised him- ..." Aethir stopped the sentence coming from his mouth, even though he didn't mean it. "...Nah. I'll go. Of course I will." he smiled, kicking over the door to his home and well...scrubbed in places he never thought goo could find itself in...

Word Count: 3346
Endurance: C -> B-1 3275/3275

Toshiko blacked out. he was completely incapable of thought during this time, and was at peace. Pure darkness. Slowly, he awoke. He wasn't in the forest anymore, and there was no more slime covering his body. His regular ninja gear had been taken off of him, and there were bandages covered his chest. Toshiko sat up in his bed, and looked over to see a still disoriented Antanas at the bed next to him. Toshiko then held his head, slowly attempting to reminisce upon what had happened leading to that moment. Then it all came back to him. He had been training with Antanas and Aethir, and after Antanas defeated the centipede they were greeted with the slug. Toshiko started putting in work on it giving openings to Antanas, but then both of them back been trapped inside the bubbles. Toshiko saved him and his friend as it seemed that they weren't going to make it out. He'd done it. He managed to prove himself and save the day this time. It felt good. Toshiko smiled, and stood up. there was still a bit of stinging in his chest and the weariness from his loss of blood, but he could manage. Toshiko then put back on his ninja gear. He couldn't just sit there all day. He would have to spend every minute bettering himself. Toshiko took one last look back at his good friend, smiled to him, and then left the hospital room with the intent of getting stronger so he could protect everyone.  

Word Count: 259

LEFT THREAD

Antanas woke up with a blinding light staring him directly in the face. He slowly sits up, feeling like a hammer was pounding each of his temples. "What happened..." Antanas asked himself, slowly looking down at his hands. He then remembers why he was here. The giant slug. Never before had he seen such a horrid creature walk on the earth. It was disgusting. It was gooey and would make disgusting bubbles, and Antanas had got stuck in one. He then remembered how Toshiko had saved him, because he wasn't strong enough. What if he had to save Toshiko and was unable to? Shaking his head, which triggered even more pain, he gets up and heads for the door. As Antanas walked home, he thought about what he would do. He would train to get stronger and be able to notice things quicker. Perhaps he could fight someone to get stronger? Until then he had to find an alternative. Slowly stripping himself of his clothes, Antanas gets in the shower. Washing off all of that days grime and dirt, he turns the water hot and closes his eyes. He needed to become a chuunin fast. If he didn't, Aethir might leave without him.

Aethir was the only possible chance that he could survive when going to Kirigakure. Without him, his death would be faster than Rain's mood swings. Antanas did not like having to rely on someone else. Once he traveled to Kirigakure and Iwagakure, he would train until he was powerful. He would do whatever it takes to be strong. He was thinking about asking his Hokage to be able to wander without being hunted by anbu, but fat chance that would happen. Most ninjas that run away from their village are killed or captured within days. If it was possible he could do it without negative consequences, then he would go for it. Turning off the water, Antanas gets dressed in clean clothing and walks outside. Slowly but surely, he made it to Konoha's gates. As he glanced out, he saw that there where plenty of guards there to report if he left. So Antanas begins to clime the gate as he often does. Sitting at the top, he just has time to think. "What to do..." He sighs, looking up in the sky as if it would offer him some advice. "I want to find my father, but what if I get kicked out of Konoha permanatly?" Antanas would hate that. He loves this village, and would hate to never be able to return again. Antanas looks into the trees, imagining what life would be like away from Konoha. Everything he had grown up around all was right here, did he really want to go to some totally strange village just to se "e his dad? Of course he did. But why did he have to do it so soon? Shaking his head, Antanas gets down and walks home. Kicking the dirt as he walks, he enters his house. Looing up, looking down, and then finnaly entering the apartment he had moved into not so long ago. Antans took his clothing off, and lies down on his soft bed. Putting his hand behind his head, he waits for sleep to come whisk him away.

STR D -> D-1 (325/325)
END D-1 -> D-3 (850/850)
PER D -> D-1 (325/325)
REA D-2 -> D-3 (450/450)
[61 words remaining]]
[2011 Words Total]