Training in the jungle

Maku was making his way through the various jungles of Takigakure’s boarders when he stumbled across some old ruins. He had once trained here, many many, many well actually it was probably only about a year ago. Damn, it felt like a lot longer when he sat and thought about it. Walking across these ruins, he looked in a special place and found a pile of bones, with some pieces missing. This must be the bandit he had killed when he had been training in the jungles. He had been s weak then, barely capable of using the basic genjutsu that he now had mastered and moved beyond. Odd, he didn’t look or feel much older but he knew h must be. Back then he couldn’t even use any elements but the most basic of techniques. Ahh well, good times gone by he supposed. While waiting here, he knew Youka should be arriving. Just as when they left Yukigakure, they had scheduled to train on the boarders before they left for their next destination. This apparently was going to be Shimagakure, now that should be an interesting time. As he sat on a ruined stone chair, he looked out over the jungle and listened to the many screams and cries of monkeys and other animals that inhabited the place.

Closing his eyes, he would continue to wait and see what was going to happen. It would be in this position that he would be found when and if Youka appeared. He assumed he would, after all the man did love to train. And Maku had clearly been the winner in their last game so the demon priest would probably want to get revenge for that. Maybe he would let Youka pick the game this time. After all just sparring could get boring, and games made everything more fun right? Maku absentmindedly wondered what kind of game they could play while still fighting. Perhaps king of the mountain, capture the flag, ninja ball the possibilities were endless. Ahhh well, best to just let him arrive and figure it out, otherwise he would be sitting here day dreaming forever. With that he began to think on the uzumaki DNA that coursed through his veins. He had recived the gift of their power, but couldn’t seem to access it. He knew Kiru could send out chains, but how did he make it work. While he sat, he focused his chakra on his tenketsu, and attempted to form it into chains while he sat. This of course got him nothing but a headache but he continued to try anyway.

435

It was a very interesting change of scenery to practice their skills in a jungle, it wasn't something Youka had done yet, and he knew the terrain would make for an interesting trial to say the least. Youka spent most of his time training in the dry barren lands or snowy plains at this point. The lush and vibrant jungle would make for a much more interesting changes of environment. Looking around he mainly noted the tall hanging trees that surrounded him, some went on for fifty to seventy five meters in height, looking directly up he couldn't see where one tree ended and another began. The sun barely shined through the branches and and foliage but it was enough to let you know that daytime still held sway over the world around you.

Youka was walking towards a chakra signature that he had memorized a long time ago as his friend Maku. They were supposed to meet up to engage in another game of sorts, that seemed to always turn a little too rough when it involved both of them. They were both always striving to become the better ninja and each one of them had their strengths in one area and weaknesses in the other. They both grew separately in their skills but somehow managed to remain a perfect pair in combat when it came to them having to fight together. As he walked and neared his friend he held in his left hand a ball that he had picked up from Takigakure on their way out that would help in the type of training or game he was planning on introducing to Maku today. It was a little weird and by no means normal but it would help them deal with outside influences in combat and also build up their ability to multi-task and deal with more than one threat.

As his eyes picked up Maku no more than 3 meters away he would look at his surroundings, Maku was in a pretty dense area of the jungle, their were vines hanging from some of the trees, in the immediate area there were at least seven tree trunks that were two meters in height and about four meters in width, some were partially uprooted while the others looked like fresh cuts. There were about thirteen trees surrounding the both of them in a clearing of about eight meters around in every direction, that went as high as the sky, some of their branches were low hanging so climbing without chakra was feasible but that was only on two of the trees the others all had branches that started out higher at about five meters upwards. On the ground below them the were roots that had been uprooted some were just barely out of the ground so it payed to be cautious as one wrong step and balance could be lost. Other roots were clearly long dead and chopped as they lie on the dirt and grass surrounding both Maku and Youka, there was hardly any space where it was just grass. This would do perfect for the type of training he had in mind.

"Hey"

Youka hoped Maku would snap out of whatever he was doing, cause he looked dumb doing it, who just stares at themselves concentrating on a single point, loser.

"So I was thinking we could practice on coordination, and also just overall footwork so we don't waste any steps in a real battle but we also pick up on things that could be used to out advantage on the battlefield. Not every battle is fought on perfect footing every time, this isn't a book where everything is magically flat and perfect and dry, where inclines and wind don't exist, so in that regard I thought of this game.

Youka stopped for a moment to gather his breath before he continued and to also see if Maku was paying attention to him. It would be a simple game at best but he knew that they would turn it interesting rather fast as they were highly competitive.

"The rules are simple, this ball in my hand can't touch the ground once it's been thrown. We'll each have to catch it once it's thrown to us. You can't throw the ball directly at the ground, but you can throw it at any object you see in our immediate area in an eight meter range. The trees, vines, roots, everything is fair game. First person to three points is the winner. Anything and everything is useable that you know, though I would stay away from grad destruction, if you destroy the ball with your jutsu you lose, but if you get me to destroy the ball with my own jutsu you win. Undertand?"

Youka at this point would be tossing the ball up in the air and catching it with his right hand, the ball was only a foot in diameter all around and it was green so it blended in with their surroundings. He knew he had picked the right ball when he was looking at the stall full of them, this would indeed prove to be a very fun training excersice that he knew Maku would enjoy as well. Youka wasn't wearing his demons mask during this time, just his normal armor and he had taken off the cape so it wouldn't get snagged on anything or used against him in this little game of theirs. Now he was waiting for Maku to agree or ask more questions before they started on a challenge that was sure to be rewarding in many ways. He wouldn't make the same mistakes of allowing himself to be hit by Maku's genjutsu that he loved to use so much, but at the same time, most of them didn't even have a visual que they were just powerful on their own, he would have to account for that in his own ways while also making it easier on himself to win.

WC 1001

Maku of course would not be paying attention until the very last moment. And as always would simply pretend he had been the entire time. "Yea yea, throw the ball catch the ball, I think I can play a simple game like that." He would say as he stood up, ontop of the stone chair. He would have one foot on the arm, and one on the high back. From there, he would await his friends moves.

"Well I guess you get to go first since you have the ball. So what do you say, loser has to ask Echo about his special eyes aye?" Adding a bit of a gamble to any game made it more fun. Gambling was like ice cream, it made everything better. As he stood and watched Youka, he imagined putting him in a genjutsu right now, and making the ball appear to be a bunch of bees and then he'd smash it, and Maku would win. However, that'd be to boring so he might as well wait for an official start to the game. Galncing around he picked up all the different sceneray, and began to already formulate how and what he would do to win. He liked the idea of getting Youka to destroy the ball himself, that would be the best way to win, but also the most dangerous. So he would have to play his cards just right if he wanted that to happen.

(678)

Youka brought his left hand to his face and slowly rubbed his temple with his fingers to show his frustration with Maku and his nonchalant ways of taking in information. He would watch his surroundings to ensure he got a feel for everything that was in his surroundings to ensure he didn't miss anything. He located his first point of attack that would put the game in progress, it would be fast and direct, just how Youka liked it.

He began analzying Maku's strengths and putting defenses in place for what he knew would come if he didn't. Focusing on his threads and visualizing what he wanted done, he quickly threaded his ears and nose closed to disable two fields of genjutsu that Maku could use. He would of course have to deal with the other branches of the genjutsu but that would come as it came and he would handle it on his own time. He wondered how Maku would handle the overwhelming strength that Youka had over his friend, but knowing Maku it would be in some very amusing way that he would enjoy.

Taking the ball in his left hand and gripping it tightly he began transferring some of his own chakra into the ball to reinforce it. It would break under the force of the throw if he hadn't done this and he would be sure to tell Maku this, of course after he had already thrown the ball.

"Alright here I go, I hope you're ready."

Increasing his grip Youka turned his body to the right side and tucked his arm into his chest. Eyeing his target one last time before launching thrusting the ball forward. The ball would fly at his full strength and speed (135) it was aimed for sailing towards Maku's head and traveling extremely fast as Youka was only 3 meters away from Maku. Youka threw it high in hopes that Maku would dodge the ball, Youka applied curveture to the ball by rotating it in his hand before he tossed it. If Maku didn't catch the ball it would proceed to hit the chair behind him applying reverse spin on the ball and launching it straight towards the ground if nothing was done to stop it. Part of Youka also hoped Maku would catch it with his face, he still owed Maku for his loss last time and the low blow he had recieved, so this was a long time coming.

WC 1412

Maku watched as Youka was probably going to do some quick and direct actions, probably the same philosophy he had for pleasuring women.  O wait he was a priest who didn't do things like that, what a wierdo.  O well, as he watched, he could tell that Youka was channeling chakra into the ball.  This was something he hadn't told Maku about, but whatever he would adapt and overcome.  As Youka spoke, he launched that ball towards Maku, at an incredibly high speed.  In fact, it was really damn fast.  Maku just had time to jump in the air as the ball was a foot in front of him.  

As he did this he channeled chakra into his hands and grabbed the ball with perfect timing.  The strength that the ball was thrown at would begin to twist Maku in the air causing him to begin to turn full circle in the air.  As he began to spin, he activated the blink justu to appear 3 feet in front of Youka.  As he appeared, the spin would be near its completion and he would release the ball.  Flexing his abdomen as he spun, he sought to add in his own power to the ball.  Adding his own throwing speed to the ball on top of Youka's momentum the ball would travel at 205 speed to what Maku hoped contact Youka center chest since the man shouldn't have much time to respond.  

As Maku released the ball letting it hit the Demon priest, Maku would be upright, and slightly falling forward forom the momentum shift.  He would then stand and watch to see how Youka faired.  If he wasn't able to do something Maku would old up both hands.  One in a fist and one with his index finger extended "1-0"  If Youka was able to do something, it would be bad news bears for Maku, as he was initially incredibly unsteady.

Youka knew Maku would be up to his tricks and games as soon as this game started. It wasn't anything new to him and he welcomed it with open arms, Maku kept Youka on his toes and forced him to think of new ways to combat situations other than his direct approach. He knew either Maku would do something overly flashy, showing off his abilities to flutter through the world like a fairy or he would use his ability to dissappear and reappear like a glitter covered genie. The ball flew through the air at a extreme velocity so much so that the air could be heard tearing around the ball. What happened next was nothing but sheer elven fairy fluttering genius on Maku's end. He twisted and flew through the air on the velocity of the ball, allowing it to carry him onwards to infinity and beyond, the only thing that was missing was glitter and pale skin, and Maku would fit in with some of the books Youka had seen walking around some villages.

As Maku fluttered in circles everything seemed to slow and Youka couldn't help but think of Maku running in slow motion in a red lifeguard suit, throwing his hair back and forth in the wind. His little moment of laughter in his mind quickly faded as Maku did his famous teleporting man trick. Youka knew whatever was about to come would be coming fast and it would be in true Maku fashion, and sure it enough it happened, how it happened however Youka felt was a little bit of poor decision making on Maku's part. Maku appeared directly in front of Youka in perfect arms reach of Youka's long arms and all too eagerness to grab.

It happened fast and his body acted more on reflex than what he wanted to do, his eyes twirled into the three tomoe state and at the same time both his arms shot forward just as Maku let the ball go. Youka's right arm would latch on to Maku's arm as his left caught the ball as it was leaving Maku's palm stopping it from gaining momentum and power. Pulling down with force with the arm grasping Maku he would attempt to slam his friends body into the earth below them. If this was successful Youka would toss the ball underhanded to lob it in the air it would hit one of the roots that were protruding from the ground before hitting the earth and rolling slightly.

"1 to 0?"

WC 1834

Upon Youka's hand moving outwards, Maku's own eyes twirled into their sharingan state.  This offensive action had prompted such a move, since clearly Youka wasn't willing to take his lose like a man.  Now, Youka was built like a brick shit house.  Everybody knew that, the guy could take punches all day, and he had a face that looked like he probably did.  For some reason the name Micky Rourke came to mind, though he had no idea why. The only way to combat an opponent as strong as Youka would be to use his superior speed.  Using the forward momentum to his advantage, he would move his hand (120spd) just below Youka's.  As he did he would flick his wrist up to merely push Youka's arm up.  As he did this contuinig to fall forward, he planted his other arm onto the ground, and twisted his legs to sweep Youka's.

This would all occur as the ball began going backwards in his hand, causing him, if successful, to fall backwards with the ball.  If this all happened, then as the arm reached back at it's full extension, it would hit the ground causing him to drop the ball.  Using the rest of the momentum, to make it to his feet, he would look down at Youka.

"1-0?"

Youka was becoming more and more dominant in this bout of movements. Maku was doing his best to keep up but Youka felt that his friend knew he made a dangerous mistake by stepping so closely into Youka's territory. His opponent tried his best to escape Youka's grip by flicking his wrist into Youka's to avert the grab and the following pain that would come from such a harsh landing. However Youka would not allow this and through his overwhelming strength to push through and continue his grab.

If this was successful his motions would continue forward and he would slam Maku directly into the ground beneath them at a rushed downward motion. If this followed through Youka would continue with his last movement and throw the ball at a protruding root from the ground before looking down on his friend and let out a little laugh as he watched the ball soar through the air and hit the root before bouncing lightly on the ground.

"1-0"

WC 2001

So Maku thought as Youka pushed on through, this was not the best plan he had ever done.  In fact, it was probably one of the worst plans in the history of planning plans.  Like seriously, it was really dumb, but whatever.  Maku was Maku, and when Maku was in trouble because Maku was being Maku to get into the kind of trouble only Maku could get in, it was time to be Maku to get out of the trouble that Maku got himself in.......Maku.  

As he was being pushed down, Maku fluxed his chakra throughout his body and into the robes that he wore.  The space time chakra, that had been weaved in each and every thread activated, and lurched him from the dimension, into the an in between state.  The momentum would carry Maku forward slightly to fall through Youka, and be behind him.  Once he did this, if Youka continued with his original course of action, he would have thrown the ball, and it would be hitting the root to bounce up.   Letting his chakra infuse in the robes again he would re-enter the world, already signing ram behind Youka.

At a speed of 230 he would body flicker over and catch the ball.  Looking at Youka, he would breathe out heavly puffing his cheeks out.  "That.....was.....a.....close....one"  He would say.  Infusing his chakra into the ball, he would wait to see what Youka's response would be and if he had any witty retorts.  It was true, Maku was pretty much a beast at evasion, though this latest trick might be a bit much.......

Once Youka was done speaking or whatever he would do, Maku would throw the ball at 70 speed towards a tree 15 meters to the right of Youka.  He would throw it in a way to have it hit multiple branches and bounce around like a pinball.  This wasn't really expected to work, but instead get the game moving again.

1140-20-20-2=1,099

(Accounting for blink, two uses of the robe, and two posts of sharingan active)

Youka was always impressed wit Maku's ability to avoid damage at all cost, it always amused him in the ways that he chose to do it as well. This way however didn't feel right, and felt slightly wrong as the young leader of Yukigakure quickly faded through Youka's body. At this point Youka was already in the process of throwing the ball and didn't like the fact that Maku was behind him with all of his cleverness, turning sideways quickly Youka launched a shuffle kick to the area where he felt Maku's chakra, if connected Maku would receive the kick to his midsection before he had the time to vanish in his high speed pursuit of the ball. Somehow it felt like Youka kept reliving this same moment over and over again of trying to throw this ball away and get one point, but instead he kept going through alternate methods of throwing it away.

If this didn't work and Maku succeded in getting away from him and catching the ball while panting and talking Youka would interject with his own words as well to stem the tide.

"How the hell, did you do that, I've never seen anything like that, you've also never even shown me that ability, what else are you hiding from me?"

He would watch as the ball was thrown in a way that it bounced, he tracked it easily with his eyes and his body would begin following as it bounced off of the second tree hitting two branches before Youka would already have begun climbing the tree at an accelerated pace catching the ball and reapplying his chakra before throwing it at the tree only 3 meters to his right. He threw it lightly enough so that it wouldn't bounce but more so roll down the tree's trunk to reach the bottom and hit the ground.

WC 2313