A Genin and Chuunin Collide! (Salzem)

A girl with white hair and snowy eyes to match entered the training grounds, her usual place to partake in training. It was early in the morning and the sunlight was peaking out from the horizon while the birds in the nearby trees chirped their melodies ever so happily. The girl, Hikari, loved to train to the sound of the sweet songs of the birds. It was calming to her, and helped focus her mind with the soothing noises. There was also a slight breeze flowing through the area, causing her hair to glide in the air.


"Today will be a wonderful day for training, I just know it!" She exclaimed cheerfully, talking to herself. It was a bad habit she picked up from always being alone. Hikari's parents were both killed in action at separate times before she was even able to graduate from the academy, so she had grown accustomed to talking to herself to fill the void of silence in her life. "What should I train today though? That is the real question! Maybe I will train my Byakugan, or maybe I could practice more with the fire jutsu I know, or maybe I could just train my chakra control or do exercises to become stronger and faster? So many choices, I don't know what to pick!"


Feeling exasperated, she decided to walk over to the nearby river that flowed through the training grounds. Watching the rippling effect of the water helped soothe her, as she loved all things having to do with nature. Hikari looked down at her reflection, noticing how it was like a mirror image of herself. It reminded her of the Clone Jutsu, which created an exact copy of the user as well. 


Finally coming to a decision, she spoke aloud, "Well since no one is here, I could train my strength and speed while also working on my singing." Then I could be like you mom. You always sung to those on the battlefield and in the hospital who were about to die, to ease their transition into the next life. She thought to herself, never forgetting what her dream was; to become the best medical ninja the whole world has ever seen, and to be like her mother, who was so gentle and caring that she would sing to those about to die to help ease their pain.


Hikari got on the ground near the river and started doing pushups, hoping to gain some muscle and increase her strength. While she was doing the reps for the pushups, she started practicing her singing. It was soft and quiet, barely above a whisper, "Every night in my dreams, I see you, I feel you. That is how I know you go on."


[WC: 460]

Salzem was in a very good mood today, seeing as he had recently got his lungs cured and no longer needed to breath through a mask to stay alive. With the mask off, Salzem had began to open up more, let people in and talk to them as a person rather than a non-emotional puppet. Having completed his Chuunin duties, which consisted of patrolling Konoha, reporting to the Jounin, and the most important of all, grabbing lunch, Salzem decided he would go head over to the training grounds for a quick sparring session if anyone was there. Sadly, between Risako, Yen, Kasai and Draconis, there were either little to now chuunin or even Jounin for that matter in the leaf, making it extremely vulnerable. In fact, most of Konoha's "army" consisted of children, genin and students. Pushing this distressing thought aside, Salzem entered the training grounds, looking around for..... something to test his mettle against. He walked around, enjoying the sunlight on his face for the first time in a long time. Upon entering view of a small river, Salzem saw a girl, perhaps in her late teens with white hair. He couldn't get a decent view of her eyes as she was doing push-ups. Deciding he should introduce himself, Salzem Dashed forward at full speed (85), stopping right beside her to make it appear like he had just appeared out of thin air. OH, how he loved doing that. He would wait patiently for the girl to notice him before introducing himself.

"Hey there. My name is Salzem." He would say, smiling lightly.

WC: 264

One hundred ninty seven...one hundredn ninty eight....one hundred ninty nine....two hundred! Hikari thought to herself, about to start on her next set of pushups when she noticed feet were next to her. I didn't even hear his footsteps, I wonder how long he has been standing there. She got up from the ground, deciding to meet this new person. As she stood up, she heard him speak to her, introducing himself as Salzem.


"Hello Salzem, my name is Hikari Hyuuga. It is a pleasure to meet you!" She cheerfully said, grinning. She loved meeting new people, especially ones she thought she could trust (ie her fellow Leaf shinobi). The guy in front of her had black hair and deep red eyes, giving Hikari the impression that he could be from the Uchiha clan, but she quickly dismissed that idea because their eyes are not normally red all the time -or at least that is what she thought- just when the Sharingan is activated, and she didn't see any visible signs in his eyes that proved he had an activated Sharingan. This guy looks older than me, but looks can be deceiving. I have no idea what age he is nor what clan he hails from. It's a good thing I like mysteries. I must admit though, I like his eyes, even if they do seem cold behind that smile.


[WC: 689]

His smile widened slightly at Hikari's enthusiastic greeting. However, it appeared as if she were looking him over, trying to determine who he was. He had been probed in this way many times, however it was usually more calculating than curious, to get under his skin. However, Hikari's gaze didn't seem to be as dark-intentioned as those other jerks. Normally, if he was a genin, would stomp those jerks into paste because at least he would have an excuse but now that he was Chuunin, he was forced to set an example for later generations. A 14 year old. Sounds about right.

A Hyuuga hm... Yes... I can see it in her eyes.... And he could to. Now that Hikari had halted her exercise, Salzem recognized those milky-white eyes of the Hyuuga. Deciding it would be awkward to stand around all day staring and probing eachother, Salzem decided he would offer some sparring.

"Its a pleasure to meet you as well, Hikari." Salzem would say before pointing over to the center of the Training grounds.

"How about a spar?"


WC: 443

Hikari's gaze followed where Salzem pointed, the center of the training grounds. She was excited to spar with someone so strong and powerful looking, but she was also a little worried. She had never been in an actual spar before, nor did she have a large arsenal of offensive jutsu. Nevertheless she acted thrilled for the spar, not wanting her opponent to know that even though she was a Hyuuga and had the Byakugan, she had no way of actually using the Gentle Fist Technique. Her Byakugan was useless in battle at the moment, putting her at an even greater disadvantage.

"I would love to spar!" She said as she walked over to where he had specified moments earlier. This will give me some great experience, even if I can't win. Cole, one of my previous training partners from the Yuki clan, did say once that you gain more from losing than you do winning, now I guess it's time to put that theory to the test! Hopefully this Salzem guy is merciful and doesn't fatally wound me, but he seems like a nice enough guy so I feel like I don't have to worry about that.


Hikari stood at the center of the training grounds, waiting on her opponent Salzem to follow. She decided that once he got there, she would activate her Byakugan and pretend to know what she was doing, since she knew enough about the technique and a rough idea of how they stood, she figured an outsider would have no idea (unless they got close enough to her and figured it out) that she was bluffing.

[WC: 960]

Salzem nodded as they made their way over to the middle of the training grounds. He lowered himself into a defensive position, showing that Hikari could get the first move. As Hikari activated her Byakugan, Salzem instinctively winced. It was such a grisily sight to see nerves around your eyes protrude like that. Salzem looked at Hikari and motioned toward himself with his hand, beckoning her to attack.

"Come at me." Salzem would say, offering her the first move.

Hikari grew slightly worried that her ruse would fail so quickly. She hated that he was allowing her to make the first move. Maybe I can save this, pretend like I still know the Gentle Fist even if I am attacking with ninjutsu instead of taijutsu. Yeah I'll go with that! She decided to give her idea a shot.

She ran forward, towards Salzem, doing the horse then tiger hand signs. She was preparing to launch her Great Fireball jutsu, a jutsu she mastered thanks to the help of a water element user, Cole. Hikari focused some chakra into her stomach, then released it from her mouth as fire and concentrated it into the form of a large fireball. Hikari then aimed the fireball at Salzem, who was about 5 or so meters away at this point. If he dodged it -which she most certainly believed he would- or even if he took the attack, she would jump back a few meters, get into a traditional Hyuuga style defensive position (with her left arm stretched out straight in front of her body, her right arm bent in front of her body, and her hands in front of her body at an angle, a signature pose for a Hyuuga) for she guessed he would start his onslaught of attacks.

[WC: 1,178] [Used 21 AP]

Salzem watched Hikari carefully as Hikari approached him, weaving signs. Suddenly, a fireball erupted from Hikari's mouth at near point-blank range. Acting fast, Salzem slammed his hands into the tiger sign, flooding chakra into skin cells. The chakra flowed, going in and out of the cell walls, hardening them into scales. in the period of a few seconds, Salzem's skin was covered completely in iron-hard scales as the fire flowed over him. The force of the fireball wasn't that much of an issue as he was strong enough to resist it , but what was remarkable, was the heat. He felt it down to his skin underneath. However, the scales held up and just as the worst of the fire cleared, Salzem shot a red, scalely hand out of the blaze and aimed to wrap a hand around Hikari's throat. If he managed to do this, he would squeeze hard enough to negate the use of anymore fire-style, but if not, he would walk out of the blaze, his scales falling off him as he cleared the heat.

-40 (Lizard Skin Armor)

While still in her defensive position, Hikari was astonished at what she was witnessing. Salzem's skin was completely covered in metallic scales, protecting him from the fire. What is that? A jutsu or a special Kekkei Genkai? I wish I could learn something like that! It would be very helpful in battle. Hikari saw something red dart out from the fire and aimed at her, but because she is slow she got caught by his hand, which stated gripping her throat. Heh, he doesn't want anymore fire eh? Too bad, that is the only fire jutsu, or really offensive jutsu, that I know. The rest are silly academy tricks and the mark seal. 


She narrowed her eyes at him, an idea popping into her head. While Salzem's hand was still around her neck, if it didn't let her go yet, she would pull out a kunai knife. Then Hikari would try to grab onto his arm with her left hand, to keep him in place, and use her right hand to stab the kunai knife into his arm, making sure it wasn't a deep wound but more of a flesh wound. She was hoping to just scare him into thinking she was actually going to go all the way. If that did not work she would have to wait to be released from his grip, for she did not have any jutsu to help her out.

[WC: 1,407]

Salzem snarled as the knife was plunged into his arm. Pain shot out over his body, blood pouring out but not profusely as it was only a flesh cut. On reflex, Salzem dropped Hikari, grabbing her other arm with his and tearing it away from his wounded limb. He jumped back, weaving Signs for Level 1 medical Ninjutsu. His hands began to be cloaked in a blue fire and he placed one of them on his wound. In a matter of minutes the flesh was healed and he felt fine, but he had made a mistake. One that could've cost him his arm in the field. Salzem felt stupid for making such and error but he was holding back most of his power so he couldn't fully blame himself. Salzem let the scales fall off his body, clattering on the ground as they *clanged* against each other. He dashed behind Hikari at speeds of 85. Supposedly, she would only see him disappearing again and this is what he hoped for. He would tap her on the shoulder and if she turns around, Salzem would bring his arm around in a K.O. hook just strong enough to plant Hikari on her back, and possibly knock the wind out of her.